Magnetic
by cupcakeriot
Summary: Bella Swan - a psychic in the 24th century - becomes a pawn in her father's political games with no way out. But could her newly arranged marriage to a Prince of an alien planet be the cure to her loneliness? OOC. Lemons and possible violence.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: i do not own Twilight. i don't even want to. i do own some awesome store bought cupcakes. what can i say? i've been busy (see the chapter below this disclaimer)**

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><p><strong>CHAPTER ONE<strong>

_This isn't were I meant to lay down  
>But you dug this grave<br>Fits me perfectly_

_~Christina Perri_

"You're not concentrating."

I breathe deeply through my nose, taking in my mentor's solemn remark and center my mind on the task before me. Truthfully, I wasn't concentrating as vigilantly as I should have been; it is very dangerous what I am trying to do. Pushing myself like this.

Always pushing myself.

The thick sheet of steel hovering four feet off the white polymerize floor wavers, drooping down a few inches as I refocus my mind on raising it higher. Steel was a particular challenge for me; it is one of the heavier metals, harder to manipulate and seemingly tenacious to my abilities. In the past, I had never raised steel past three and half feet. Even raising it the last six inches was a struggle. My head began to ache, a throbbing in the center of my brain that radiated out to my forehead in short, pulsing bursts.

"Breathe," Yvette tells me in a soft command.

I fill my lungs again, gritting my teeth as the steel rises another inch or two but seems to become stuck between my improvised gravity and Earth's gravity pushing against mine. A rush of liquid slides down from my left nostril – a nosebleed brought on by the pressure in my head.

"That's enough for today," she says firmly, touching my shoulder in an unfamiliar motherly way as I slowly lower both the steel to the ground and my arms to my side.

As my connection to the metal breaks, my nose begins to bleed more heavily. The throbbing of my brain rises in one stunningly hard burst before it fades into a small ache that I can barely detect. Yvette passes me a small cloth, motioning me to press it under my nose.

"You did very well," she praises warmly, soft toffee colored eyes smiling at me. Yvette has long since filled the void my mother left when she passed away from a rare disease our doctors were unable to cure.

"I was hoping for four and a half."

"Small steps, Bella." Yvette reminds me, gazing past my shoulder as her eyes cloud over for a moment. She forces herself out of her vision, patting my shoulder and informing me that I could remove the cloth from my face. She walks to the hidden entrance, the sliding door automatically opening for her, leading her into the main training room.

This room in the testing and training facility is only in the knowledge of Yvette and I. As soon as she had discovered my ability to move any metal object, she had initiated extra training under the conditions that I tell nobody of my second gift.

As rare as psychics were now, psychics with two formidable talents were even more rare – dangerous even.

I follow Yvette and seat myself on a tall cubic cushion, rolling my shoulders to ease the tension crawling up my backs from maintaining the hold and hover on the steel for so long.

Lately, a sense of urgency had been filling my gut to the extent that I was inclined to ask Yvette about training that is more frequent. Something monumental was about to change in my life though I was at a loss as to what it could possibly be.

As if reaffirming my thoughts, Yvette grins at me, the smile full of promises and secrets. "There will be very big changes in your future."

I wasn't a seer – I didn't know exactly how visions worked but Yvette had once taken the time to plainly tell me that the future, the immediate future, was always definite. She saw the outcome of many choices and was confident that no matter what choice any one person made, their near future would always remain the same.

"What will happen?"

"I cannot tell you. You know that, Bella."

I furrow my brows. "Why not? I understand that whatever you tell me will not change the future."

"But it would take the surprise out of the future. You are far too young to be ruining your own surprises." Yvette admonishes, her nurturing side coming out in her voice.

I am young – sixteen – but I'd never liked surprises of any kind. I liked knowing what was going to happen. I liked being prepared. In my experience, surprises led to unanticipated loss.

However, I relent to Yvette's will; I would find out soon enough and I didn't have time to linger.

My father was expecting me.

It was a rare night that Charlie Swan was home, on Earth, from his heavily guarded space station. I'd only seen him three times in the past year. Father was practically a stranger.

"Will I see you tomorrow?"

Yvette smiles sadly. "No. You will be busy. I will see you the day after."

I do not hover with my goodbyes as they make me exceedingly uncomfortable. I shuffle through the thick crowd of pedestrians dressed in sleek, simple clothing as they make their way to their homes.

It had been centuries since homes were above ground; instead, the only part of the home that was above ground was the curved alcove that sheltered the coded doorway.

My own home's alcove was rather large, made of smooth white and grey marble, the sliding double door made of heavy steel reinforced wood from the last century. Carefully, I type the nine-digit code into the doors keypad, stepping into the warmth of the slanted foyer.

A steep set of marble stairs leads down to the living quarters, the decoration minimal and impersonal with cubic furniture that was in time with today's style. A long hallway off the living room leads to a disk-library, a waste-room, the kitchen and another set of stairs. The level underneath this floor is my own room and is protected by a code only I know. Below my floor is my father's level, which can be accessed through a secret entry. My home is much larger than most are these days and, in part, that is due to my father's job as the Grand President.

I make my way into the kitchen, opening the sliding pantry hidden in the white walls and pick out three thin canisters; a seared chicken breast, salad and white-sauce pasta. Taking out a plate and a bowl, I place a small round pill from the chicken canister and an inch-long white rectangle onto the plate; I shake a few green shreds from the salad canister into the bowl. The plate is set in the hydrating micro-oven while the bowl is placed in the hydrating cooler. Soon, I am eating three perfect proportions of food, the chicken moist and hot, the pasta creamy and the salad cool and refreshing. With advances in technology, it was no longer necessary to stand in front of archaic stoves to cook meals and time could be devoted to other tasks.

I set me dishes in the dish-steamer and go to sit in the living room, patiently waiting for my father to arrive.

He was supposed to have been waiting for me but as rare as it was for him to be home, it was even more rare for him to be on time.

I entertain myself by juggling several light metals above my head – trinkets of small decorations from around the living room like a set of hollow iron balls and a copper figurine. Compared to steel, these metals are mere paper clips and I easily suspend them in the air, swirling them around the room. I no longer need to move my hands to guide the metals around the room; I'd grown out of that when I was much younger.

Small, short beeps carry down the stairs, alerting me to my father's arrival, which gives me enough time to return the trinkets to their spots before he can discover that particular talent. It wasn't a stretch of the imagination to think he would exploit it the first chance he got.

I see his body guards first – two burly men dressed in pristine black suits and solid glares. They are familiar to me as much as my father is though I see them – or their associates – more than I see the man who helped in my creation.

"Bella," Father greets, fake warmth slithering from his mouth. There was something distinctly cunning about my father; a certain slickness that all politicians have. I held no delusions that my father was more than a mask that could transform based on the situation. Whatever it is he wanted to talk to me about would surely be designed to benefit him.

"Father."

"How have you been?"

I struggle to keep my face neutral, my first reaction being disbelief. As far as I knew, the communications on his space station were made to contact anyone anywhere at anytime – and yet, I heard from Father once every couple of months and even then, his interest was primarily on my progress at the Psychic Training and Testing Facility.

"Fine," I say instead, holding in the heavy sigh that weighs on my chest. Already, I was growing tired of his formalities.

"I've brought you something," Father says gently, motioning to the guard on his left to hand be a silver-wrapped package.

Immediately, suspicion spikes in my gut though I make no outward sign of it and push it away ruthlessly. The last gift Father had given me was the summer before Mother died. I was seven.

Unwrapping the package, I am shocked to find a small kit of essential space-travel supplies. Of course, I hadn't expected anything that wasn't practical but I'd never been in space.

I'd never even wanted to entertain the thought.

"Do you like it?" Father inquires as he stiffly sits far away on the other side of the room.

Having no words to describe the absolute confusion filling the forefront of my mind, I nod. Father wasn't one to linger either – I would soon find out what all of this nonsense was about.

"As you know, the Republic has signed treaties with the Seven," Father begins.

I did know – everyone on Earth and the seven life sustaining planets that had been in contact with Earth knew about the treaties between the planets. A cold war of intelligence and fear had just been fought between the planets, a century-long battle of wits between alien life and human arrogance. The war had ended with a complex government called the Republic and, as Father had said, the Republic had recently finalized treaties between the Seven planets.

Peace, it seemed, was a universal need.

"Yes." I answer as he had paused for a rather long time. Did he doubt my interest in the peace of the Seven and the Republic? Or did he not think that I followed that type of topic? In truth, Father hadn't been around enough to know how I behaved or what I liked and disliked. I wasn't sure he particularly cared, either.

"I'm sure you are aware that the populations of the planets have begun to mingle." Father's tone is so condescending that I have to bite my tongue – I nod once, centering myself as I feel the center of my brain begin to flicker with built up energy. "I would like to send you to a planet to visit."

The way in which Father said _visit _alluded to so much more that a brief travel to absorb the culture of the planet. In that one word, I heard that I would have no choice in going and that it was very much possible that I would not be returning.

"A visit." I say darkly, pursing my lips together and shifting on the cubical couch I sat on. My body grew more and more tense the longer I remained sitting – the longer my father looked at me with calculating eyes.

"Yes. It has come to the Republic's attention that the son of King Niall of Leumin is of age to take on a wife – err, mate. Human DNA is compatible with the Leumian race."

The words sink in slowly, unraveling and processing in every way – I try, in vain, to see another angle of Father's implications but my mind repeatedly comes to the same conclusion.

"Arranged marriage?" I choke out, rising off the couch and fisting my hands at my side. I can feel my face heat with anger and, surprisingly, tears. As the water leaks out of my eyes, I touch my face in shock.

I can't remember the last time I cried.

"The Leumian's do not call it marriage," Father says flatly, rising from his seat to stroll over to the stairs. Already he is leaving, cementing his disinterest in my life. "You will do this Bella."

"Why? Why should I?" I demand angrily, feeling my fingers twitch. If I could get close enough, I would be sure to wipe the confident expression off his face.

"If you refuse, I will have you locked in a correctional facility for that abnormal second ability you've been hiding."

My stomach drops to my feet and I gasp as more tears run down my face. How is this man my father?

I work to contain my emotions, embarrassed by showing such weakness in front of others; I'd worked too hard to build up my own mask to let it crumble so soon.

Father ignores me, stepping up on the stairs leading outside before he suddenly stops, turns and glares menacingly at me. His eyes are so shrewd and cold that I can almost feel them pass through my soul. "I trust you will not to anything desperate while Samuel is here. Your shuttle leaves the day after tomorrow. Do not miss it."

With those final words, Father disappears, a solid clang of wood and metal signing his departure.

Samuel stoically stands near the stairs, practically in front of them, careful not to make eye contact with me. He is the more burly of the two guards that had come in with Father with long dark hair and russet skin.

I press my lips together and storm down the steps to my floor, jamming the code into the keypad and locking my door from the inside. I don't miss the solid steps of Samuel as he follows me down the steps at a much slower pace.

He is smart to leave me alone.

I sit numbly on my bed as I process the day's events.

When I'd gotten up this morning to a video message on my lap-pad from my Father, I'd never imagined this as the outcome.

How _archaic_ was arranged marriage? At least on this planet. For all I knew, it was a common occurrence on Leumin.

But I had no feasible way to avoid this. Father would be able to find me if I ran. And I did not intend to be locked up in a mental facility – a place that had somehow remained in fashion for eccentric family members through the centuries though the "treatment" there was legendarily horrible.

I had no choice in this.

I had to do what I could to survive.

Sleep did not come easy as my mind was racing with thoughts. I'd never felt so completely out of control in my life. I would doze off and wake up with various metal parts of my room floating above my head – and the shock of waking to that would cause the objects to crash against the walls and the floor.

After one particularly loud crash, Samuel had begun to bang on my door, threatening to kick down the entrance if I did not answer his alarmed inquires. I had been tempted to dare him to try to attack the reinforced titanium polymerize door; I'm sure it would have been very entertaining to witness a man of that size losing to an inanimate object designed to keep him out.

But he would surely report the incident – his failure – to my father and that wouldn't do me any favors. So I relented, peeking my head out to assure my father's lackey that I was unharmed and packing.

Samuel, it turns out, isn't the smartest byte in the computer. He was easily satisfied, nodding resolutely before slumping against the wall beside my door and falling asleep on the spot.

I continued to toss and turn, stare up at the ceiling and try to learn more about Leumian's on my lap-pad through the night. There was virtually no information about the Leumian's or their planet on any database I hacked into.

It seemed that my new residence was fairly secretive.

Which made me even more suspicious of Father's motivations – was he sending me to Leumin to gather intelligence? And what were the Leumian's hiding? All of the other Seven had every morsel of history stored in inter-universal databases.

Not the Leumian's.

The only information I could find by myself was the planet's climate, which appeared to be far more erratic than Earth's. Apparently, due to a more dense oxygen, the clouds on Leumin stored other gases, electricity and fluids that made for very torrential rainstorms. The two moons orbiting the planet also pulled at the vast oceans, creating more rifts in the weather patterns.

I close the program I was reading from, place the lap-pad on the floor and turn to my side, sighing heavily in the darkness of my room.

I didn't appreciate the threats my father had lain before me – and I certainly didn't like being forced into some sort of political-based marriage. I also didn't like that my father seemed to know more about the Leumian's than the databases had.

He'd said that the Leumian's didn't call the arrangement a marriage; he'd said mate, not wife. I didn't know what to make of that.

Too many questions were swirling around in my brain. It was making me jumpy to the sudden snores Samuel emitted in his sleep from my hallway.

I didn't like to feel this on edge.

Rolling out of my foam-based mattress, I go into my washroom and dig around in the sliding cabinet above my sink until I find the small spray-canister that I very rarely used. The contents of the spray were supposed to induce sleep.

I open my mouth and pump three quick sprays onto my tongue, swallowing several times as the honey sweetness slides down my throat, instantly making me drowsy.

I stumble into my bed and welcome the complete peace sleep brings me. I do not wake until the afternoon the next day. I don't bother to fix myself a meal through my stomach protests with loud grumblings. Instead, I begin packing the shimmering, soft fabrics of my clothes and other necessities into a travel bag along with the kit Father had given me last night.

I should have been more suspicious when he gave me a present.

It still wouldn't have made a difference.

Using my lap-pad, I try to open a communication with Yvette but she is unavailable. I recall her telling me that I would not see her today; that should have been another reason to be suspicious.

Having nothing else to do, I continue to search for information on Leumin and the Leumian's – my mind is greedy for anything I can find but every source is as dry as the night before.

Father had said that it was King Niall who agreed to this arranged marriage. Did the government on Leumin operate like a monarchy? Earth hadn't supported a monarchy since the tectonic plates of Europe had clashed with Northern America. And would that mean that my intended husband would be a Prince of his planet?

Why would a Prince bow to an arranged marriage?

The questions popping through my head are only bringing on a headache as everything that is left unanswered only increased my curiosity.

Eager to escape from my own mind, I spray more of the sleep inducing medication into my mouth, deciding to stash the canister in my travel bag. I am sure I will need it sometime during my travels through space.

The next time I wake, it is morning and Samuel is banging on my door, demanding I wake up and begin preparing to leave. He stops making noise when he hears my movement through the walls.

I take my time in the washroom, scrubbing every inch of my smooth skin until it is pink from friction and heat. Air vents dry my body and hair with a subtle scent much like the body sprays of the past. In the full-length mirror of my washroom, I study my body with a critical eye, seeing faults that had not previously bothered me. It seems like this arrangement is making me self-conscious of my body; a feeling I am very uncomfortable with.

My height is on the shorter side of the scale, my body mass barely over one hundred pounds. My limbs are long for my short stature and thin, giving my body a willowy appearance, which is emphasized by the nearly non-existent curve of my hips and chest. Translucent creamy skin covers my body, the result of endless hours spent honing my talents indoors, in secret. Dark mahogany, almost ebony, hair covers my head, bangs cut bluntly high on my forehead and the tips of layers resting just under my chin. My face was interesting with a smooth jaw, a nose curving up at the end, high-defined cheekbones and wide icy blue eyes under straight dark brows.

I don't think I am particularly attractive in the current sense – it seemed than human men never grew out of craving blond women with ample chests – but I know that I am pleasing enough to look at. Otherwise, I'm sure Father wouldn't have offered up my life to an arranged marriage to a far away alien race. I didn't require the face enhancement paint that women are so fond of, at least.

I brush through the minor tangles of my hair until it dries straight and pull on slick black rayon tights and a silky soft white layered dress that hems at mid-thigh with thick black straps. My boots are chunky and black with several decorative zips and ties running up the length of the shoes until the final zipper ends just under my knee. Unlike many girls my age, I only wore one piece of jewelry – an ancient tourmaline pendent that hangs to my belly button on a platinum chain. The color-changing gem once belonged to my mother and was one of the only keepsakes I cared to take with me to Leumin.

I do not linger in my home but I do demand that Samuel stops at Yvette's home on our way out of the city.

Yvette is not surprised at the turn of events – she'd already seen it happen, after all - and she is not quick to offer any glimpses of the future, though I am close to begging. I know she is right and I find myself marveling at her infinite wisdom.

"I will miss you," she tells me sadly, touching the side of my face.

I allow myself to embrace Yvette, the woman who had walked me through puberty and comforted me the nights that Father had missed the milestones of my life. I wasn't sure how to deal with the loss of her companionship and, before I'd even left her house, I began to bury those confusing feelings deep inside my heart.

I am more quiet that usual as Samuel drives out of the city and to the secluded spaceport that houses the shuttles that depart from Earth and venture into the universe.

Shuttles are made from several materials that withstand the abuse space puts on the spacecrafts. The technology inside of the shuttle is nearly as impenetrable as the shuttle itself, holding the secrets of shields, space grids and a type of warp speed that shames science fictions writers of the past.

Samuel leaves me at the mouth of the shuttle, handing me off to an equally burly assistant captain of the shuttle who's eyes dissected my being with barely disguised interest. I would have to keep an eye on Assistant Captain Jared.

The captain of the shuttle was a different story entirely – Paul was extremely pleased to have the daughter of the Grand President of Earth as a passenger of his spacecraft. Too pleased. He insisted that my sleeping quarters be no more than ten feet from his.

Paul's wife, a happy pregnant woman named Rebeka, gave me a proud tour of the shuttle. To my surprise, I found that the shuttle carried more than human passengers – there were at least one or two citizens of each of the other seven planets on board, though they were wary of my presence.

I couldn't blame them; I was being treated specially though I was sure some of them were ambassadors from the Seven.

Even some of the human passengers were rather standoffish with me – several women openly glaring at me for one reason or another.

I'd never been particularly popular with people, greatly preferring my own company to that of other people. For whatever reason, I had never clicked with someone who was not a gifted psychic – but maybe that was because I could relate on some level to other psychics.

Then again, some psychics sensed something off about me though none had ever guessed a second ability. The ability that everyone knew about was more off putting than the hidden one and I suppose that also had much to do with the relative isolation that had always surrounded me.

Still, I hadn't anticipated the reaction other passengers had to me and knew that the travel to Leumin, no matter how short, would not likely be a pleasant one.

Rebeka noticed the reaction other passengers had to me, patting my shoulder in what I assumed was a reassuring gesture. "Don't worry about them," she smiles, leading me back to my quarters. "You'll be in Leumin before you realize it."

"How long?"

Rebeka starts at my abrupt question, faltering for a moment. "Oh, a little under three days, I think. The shuttle is under orders to deliver you first."

I frown, thinking that this could be another reason why the other passengers seemed to instantly dislike me. "Surely that's unfair," I begin, making a plan in my head to talk to the Captain.

Rebeka shakes her head. "No, Leumin is the closest planet to Earth. You would have been the first stop anyway." She pauses, seeming to think for a moment. "In fact, there is a Leumian girl around your age on this trip. I'll have to introduce you after zero-gravity." Rebeka motions to the flashing light above the doorway of my quarters. "You best buckle up. Zero-gravity comes fast and leaves even quicker."

Rebeka leaves for her quarters and I hurriedly secure my travel bag, and myself to the foam-cushioned chair attached to an alcove of the walls.

Take off is as smooth as it can be, I suppose, as the shuttle is breaking through Earth's atmosphere. The jolting of the shuttle suddenly stops as the shuttle enters the zero gravity fields around the Earth.

Though I am firmly strapped into my seat, I feel my internal organs flip at the weightlessness of my body. I feel a rush as lightheadedness is replaced by the internal gravity of the shuttle.

Slowly, I unhook the buckles securing me to the alcove and stand on wobbly feet, using the wall beside me as support as my body grows accustomed the new gravity.

As I regain my mental and physical centers, three quick raps and Rebeka's voice through the door signal that my very brief time alone is over.

And as quick as that, my last day on Earth ends while my first day in space begins.

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><p><strong>AN: welcome to Magnetic. i will confess, right here, right now, that i have never done a Sci-Fi anything before. but i am a science nerd - i love the SyFy channel, the movies from the 80's, Captain Kirk references and the astrological studies happening as we speak. that said, most of everything you will see in this story will be logical for the most part. at least, i'll try. **

**Bella will not have long hair in this story. she just won't. her eyes won't be brown either. she will also not be one to run away - i wanted to make this Bella stronger, more stubborn than my Bella from Gods.**

**speaking of Gods, i know that there are readers who wanted a sequel. but...this particular plot has been haunting my sleep so this will come first. i make no promises to make any sequel of any story i write. it depends on a lot of stuff.**

**as always, be brutally honest. i can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight - I don't even want to! I just like playing with the characters, so chill Stephanie Meyers, okay? I do, however, own some really awesome ice cream (yep, I've been busy again. You know. Writing this. Yeah.)**

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><p><strong>CHAPTER TWO<strong>

"_Take me backwards  
>Turn me around<br>Cannot find my balance  
>On the ground<br>This world is too heavy  
>For a feather falling quickly"<em>

_~ Christina Perri_

Rebeka's countenance is sublimely excited as the door of my sleeping quarters slide open. Eagerly, she holds her hand out to me. "I've found the location of the Leumian girl," she tells me, running her palm against her swollen stomach. "The Leumian's are so secretive; I'm sure she will be able to give you a speedy tutorial of the culture."

I step out of my quarters, fiddling with the pendant hanging around my neck. "Why are the Leumian's reluctant to share their history?" I wonder aloud as I follow Rebeka through the tight corridors of the shuttle.

Rebeka's steps slow as she allows me to catch up to her. "I'm sure the Leumian girl will be able to answer that better than I can. Perhaps they do not keep their history in a data base."

I ponder her words in silence as I follow her past the dining area and public waste-rooms. I had a feeling that the Leumian's were even more advanced than the human race.

No, they held their history as a secret for a reason.

"Ah, there she is!" Rebeka exclaims, smiling happily as she walks over to a small girl seated in the shuttle's disk-library.

I am startled by the beauty of the Leumian girl – while I am aware that the Leumian's are a humanoid species, it hadn't occurred to me that they would be inhumanely beautiful.

The resemblances between the Leumian girl's figure and mine are impressive; we are both small and thin, lacking voluptuous curves. I was sure I could pass for a Leumian if it was not for the soft lavender shade of her skin – so light that it is barely distinguishable. Her nose is smaller, slightly more flat while her eyes have an almond shape to them. The color of her eyes is a startling smoky amethyst, the pupil reminiscent of a cat's. Her hair is thick and smooth, sapphire tinted onyx and perfectly straight.

With her as my first impression of the Leumian race, I assume that the Leumian's are a relatively colorful group of the Seven.

Yet, even with her intimidating beauty and novelty, I am instantly comfortable in her presence – nearly as comfortable as I was in Yvette's.

"Rebeka," the girl greets with a disarming, bell-like voice. Even the Leumian voice is beautiful; my own voice, in relation, is much lower, more smooth and less musical. "How is your young today?"

Rebeka smiles softly, running her hand over the curve of her stomach again. "Kicking. I'm afraid I'll have bruises!" she jokes.

The jib seems to fly over the Leumian girl's head as she replies very seriously, though her trilling voice never seems to lose it's cheer. "If that does happen, I know of a very good remedy."

Rebeka smiles, letting out a soft chuckle as she turns to introduce me. "This is Bella, the daughter of Earth's Grand President. Bella, this is Alice."

Alice immediately shoots up, falling into a curtsy as she learns of my station, her eyes wide and excited. "I should have seen this," she offers in apology, though I do not know why she continues to bow to me or what she meant by _seen_. When she finally stops her curtsy, she smiles widely at me, flashing a row of perfectly white teeth and two very pointed incisors. "You appear positively Leumian."

I feel my brows raise as I had had a similar thought. "Thanks," I murmur, realizing that Alice does not have eyebrows; it does not make her face any less expressive. Did all Leumian lack that feature?

Rebeka's name is called from the hallway and she gently excuses herself to join another pregnant woman. "I will see you both at dinner."

Alice is not one for long silences as she grins, sitting down and lightly tugging on the hem of my dress. "This is wonderful," she tells me, fingering the soft fabric with barely contained wonder. "It is perfect to wear on Leumin."

I sit down, jumping on the chance to learn more about the mysterious planet and it's people. "Why is that?"

Alice seems pleased by my interest. "It is almost a Leumian tradition that females show their bare neck and shoulders through their dress." She shrugs her own shoulders, brushing against a series of connected crescents tattooing the top of her left shoulder. "To show off their birth markings."

"They are beautiful," I tell her honestly, thinking that my pale skin would certainly stand out in Leumin. I center my mind, brushing away the sudden concern I had for fitting in; I'd never fit in before, it shouldn't matter if I did now.

"Do you have birth markings?" Alice inquires, searching the skin of my shoulders for anything visible.

I frown, touching the small dark circle at the base of my neck – a beauty mark to match the random sprinklings on my arms and back. "Yes, but not as designed as yours. You are born with them?"

Alice nods. "They mark social class on Leumin. My mother and father were of the nobility, marked as such, and now so am. The royalty have many more markings, darker too."

My mind was absorbing the information, eagerly filing it all away to combine later. Alice seemed happy to share what she knew, which didn't align with the secrecy Leumin was shrouded in. Perhaps Alice knew more than she was letting on – knew why I was traveling to Leumin. That would certainly explain the bowing.

But how fast would that kind of information travel?

"So, you are nobility?"

Alice smiles brightly. "Yes, though I am a royal dresser. The Princess insisted on having an Earth fabric for her next gown. There are such beautiful materials available!"

I find myself genuinely smiling at Alice's enthusiasm – I couldn't even remember the last time I felt the urge to laugh. My laughter, however, dies in my throat as Alice stares deeply into my eyes.

"That color is very vibrant for humans," she observes, her eyes glazing over much like Yvette's did when she was experiencing a vision. Alice's personality was so random, so disarming – so intuitive. "You will look extraordinary in dark blue. I shall make you a dress," Alice declares in a trilling tone that bares no arguments.

I stay and listen to Alice chatter until dinner, where she eagerly tries "human food", eating twice as much as Rebeka who was eating for two.

As I retire to my sleeping quarters, I have no trouble falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.

The next day is much the same on the shuttle – the other passengers avoid me, Rebeka lends her jovial personality and Alice simultaneously creates a shimmering cobalt dress and answers the surface of my never-ending questions.

"So, Leumian's learned the languages of the Seven?"

Alice nods, pursing her lips. "Yes. We thought it would be easier than teaching our own language."

"Is it really that difficult?"

She looks up from her work, deep in thought. "You will easily be able to learn it, like most humans with the psychic gene. But other species lack the necessary vocal chords and mental capacity to store the intricacies. Even so, Leumian's have several more vocal chords than humans. When you speak the language, it will not be nearly as seamless. But you will get by. It will all come in time."

It struck me again how Alice seemed to slip into the future when she was talking, mentioning things she couldn't possibly know.

"You're a seer," I declare confidently.

"And you are telekinetic. But only with metal for now," she adds, locking eyes with me and letting secrets dance behind her smile.

I sit up straight, pressing my lips together and glancing around the empty disk-library. "Nobody knows about that."

"I do. I think it's wonderful. You will need it in the future."

I shake my head quickly, pushing my hair behind my ears, the short strands swinging back towards my face almost immediately. "You don't understand. It's dangerous if someone finds out about the telekinesis."

Alice continues to sew, her fingers nimble and quick, completing row after row, adding swishing layers in a translucent sapphire fabric over the dress. "It is a gift, just like the one that flickers in the center of your mind."

I stay silent for the remainder of the evening, using the sleep aid to stop the thoughts racing through my head. It seemed that for all the questions that had been answered – their language, the hierarchy of their social class, the markings, the way the orbits of their moons work – more and more questioned cropped up in their place. Alice was not forthcoming with any information about the royal family, insisting that I make my own judgments about them, which only served to increase my suspicions of my role in this arrangement.

Was there some issue that made the Leumian Prince undesired by the females of Leumin?

The third day on the shuttle begins with a series of perky knocks on my quarter's doors.

With my hair wild around my face and my eyes bleary from sleep, I slide my door open. Alice pushes by me, thrusting the garment she had spent the last day making into my arms. "Try this on so I can make adjustments. First impressions are very important to Leumian's."

Still metabolizing the effects of the sleep spray, I stumble into the washroom and pull the dress over my head. It fits like a glove, the hem ending between mid-thigh and my knees; the fabrics are lightweight, catching the light with subtle glimmers. The bodice of the dress is lightly boned with silky ties forming a bow at the center of the scooping neckline, thin scraps creating delicate netting over my shoulders in fine swooping straps, which leaves my entire back bare to the dip of my spine.

I step out of the washroom, following Alice's demands to spin in a circle and stay still while she pulls at various parts of the dress.

"It's perfect," I tell her after thanking her profusely. She waves me off, digging through my travel back until she finds a pair of slouching black ankle boots and silver-toned tights made of a net material similar to the straps of the dress.

"We will be landing in Leumin soon," Alice informs me, more solemn than I had ever seen her in the short time that I've known her. "You must remember to walk with confidence. The people will be watching your every move."

I finger the gemstone pendant hanging from my neck, nerves settling deep in my stomach as loose metal objects around the room begin to float in the air.

Loneliness was something I had grown used to since the death of my mother. Something I expected. Other children my age shied away from me, sensing something abnormal about me and avoiding it as completely as they could.

The isolation was something I grew to anticipate and appreciate. I faded into the background quite easily. Anonymity agreed with me, hardened me and built the mask I eagerly hid behind when I wasn't asking questions.

But now, being thrust into this situation with no feasible way out lest I be locked up my entire life in a mental institution, I wasn't sure how to process the complex emotions – the nerves mixed with excitement and curiosity and determination and the shattering loss of Yvette's companionship burrowed deep within. I'd never needed to dissect any of the more intense emotions beyond anger and contentment.

The Leumian people would be watching me – judging the human who was sent to marry their Prince with harsh eyes.

Instead of lingering on my insecurities, I push the emotions away, forcing a confident nod of my head. "Of course," I say. "I should bathe."

Alice grins, waving her hands eagerly as she dances out of my quarters.

I carefully place the dress on the bed alcove and step into the hot jets of water in the washroom, quickly rubbing my skin with lightly scented soap and washing my hair with foaming gel. I do not allow my mind to linger on the events that are about to transpire – instead, I focus on the flickering center of my brain and the zinging charge that races down my arms to my finger tips.

Standing in the heated and scented air jets, I focus on my breathing, on centering my mind as nerves are beginning to rise up from where I'd buried them.

I ruthlessly push them down.

Always hiding my emotions.

I'd gotten good at it.

Alice's dress slides smoothly against my skin, billowing in loose waves, the shimmering layers shifting with each of my movements, the netting straps capping over my shoulders, the skin of my back completely bare. I pull on the tights, slouching black boots and my mother's pendant before I gather the scant evidence of my presence from the room and stuff the items into my travel bag. Out of spite, I leave Father's gift under the alcove bed.

As I leave my quarters with my bag clutched in my hand, I run into Rebeka as she is stepping out of the Captain's quarters. "Oh, I was just going to come looking for you! Jared is landing the shuttle in Leumin's spaceport in a few minutes. Come on, I'll take you to the shuttles port entrance."

Alice waits near the port entrance that Rebeka leads me to, bounding excitedly on her feet, several wrapped parcels leaning against the wall beside her. Before Rebeka lets me pass closer to the port entrance, she gently squeezes my hand. "You stay strong. There will be troubles ahead of you but I have a feeling things will work themselves out."

I nod solemnly, reading the genuine meaning behind her words, and move to stand beside Alice, who grins at me and makes a high-pitched squealing sound in the back of her throat.

I hoped that wasn't a common occurrence.

The shuttle slides smoothly into the Leumian spaceport, the doors automatically sliding open to reveal the much more sleek space station that orbits around Leumin.

It seemed that, while Earth was fond of rigid blocks, Leumin is partial to curved structures. The walls of the space station are oval shaped, the floor being slightly more level than the curving ceiling. Immediately, I wondered if all Leumian structures were similar to this design or if it was only this space station.

A striking man with warm clay-toned skin greets us with a stiff nod. "Lady Alice, Lady Bella, please follow me." His voice is much deeper, his accent thick and harsh like the German people of Earth but somehow more like the Native American culture of our past.

He called me Lady.

That throws me off enough that I barely even notice when Alice rushes past me, following the man with her arms full of heavy-looking parcels. I hurry to catch up, careful to keep my chin level and my shoulders back.

No matter why I was here, I would not let any Leumian's see me as a weak human.

The man leads us through circular tunnels until we reach a loud garage-like room. The sound of torches and metal grinding on metal is familiar, comforting even. There are several small vehicles, white, silver, and shaped like bubbles with thick windows of glass in small circles along the front and rear of the machine.

"Lady Alice," the man begins, stopping in front of a shiny bubble vehicle. "I trust you know how to operate the space pods?"

Alice nods nonchalantly – or, as nonchalantly as she can – and steps closer to the pod, pressing a discreet button that flips the top of the pod open. She easily stuffs her parcels into the sides of the pod before she turns to me, a slightly apologetic look on her face. "It will be a tight squeeze, but we are both small. Be careful not to wrinkle your dress."

By this time, the man has already left after instructing one of the workers in the garage to operate a podium of blinking buttons; buttons that I assume open the doors to space.

Alice and I are closed in together, a steady stream of cool air flowing into the pod.

She presses her hand to the center of the blank dashboard, prompting a wide array of blinking lights to emerge; her fingers dance over the lights and soon we are experiencing a brief stint of zero gravity. "I love the weightlessness," she tells me happily.

I nod, speechless as the pod enters the Leumian atmosphere, the sides of our vehicle glowing red from friction. We are plummeting to the surface of the planet through thick white clouds. My stomach flips when the clouds break to reveal a blue ocean so clear that I can see reef-like structures near the bottom from miles above the ocean surface.

Leumin is like nothing I've ever seen.

Massive trees and bright green masses of land cover the planet, large pits of ocean breaking through the land and mountains. I see virtually no cities or building structures – either the Leumian's lived off the land or they were careful to preserve the integrity of their planet's appearance.

Using the lights and her tiny hands, Alice steers the pod to a particularly mountainous region.

"Home sweet home," she murmurs when the top half of the pod flips open, gusts of wind shocking me.

The temperature of the planet is so similar to Earth though the colors of everything is so much more visible, so much more vibrant. My eyes drift up to the sky and I struggle to hold in a gasp as I see how clear the sky is; the atmosphere is barely tinted blue, so light that I can easily make out the blinking stars during the day. One moon, a smooth and full white surface, dominates a third of the sky.

"Alice?"

I snap my head away from the mesmerizing sky as I register both the echo of iron in the natural rocks and pebbles around me and the lilting male voice that calls for Alice. My eyes land on a lanky male with almond colored skin, beryl-tinted blond hair and bright ocher eyes.

Alice drops her parcels and takes off in a quick dash to the male, throwing her arms around him and hugging him tightly. The moment, though innocent, is so intimate that I have to look away.

I take the time to pull my travel bag out of the pod, holding it in front of my body with both hands. The air feels so pure here, smells so fresh compared to the air on Earth where our days of smog still scarred the planet.

Perhaps the reason why the Leumian's were so secretive was to preserve the purity of their planet. I wouldn't blame them if that were the case.

"Bella!" Alice calls, motioning for me to come towards her. "Bella, this is my mate, Jasper. Jasper, you know of Bella."

Mate.

Was that what Father meant when he said the Leumian didn't believe in marriage? Because they had something better than marriage?

How would that work out for the Prince?

I shake my head and force a smile at Jasper who seems wary of my presence.

Could he, too, sense something off about me?

Before I can dwell anymore on it, he abruptly speaks, squinting his eyes at me. "She looks Leumian, Alice."

"I know," Alice agrees sagely. "But she is not. Apparently, humans have many body types."

I feel my face heat in embarrassment, flicks of energy surging through my brain in response. I struggle to quell the urge to manipulate the iron-studded rocks around me.

Embarrassment was not a common emotion for me.

I clear my throat and straighten my back, looking Jasper square in the eye for a moment before I let my own eyes stray to the nature around me. "Where are we?"

"Outside the palace."

I furrow my brows, seeing trees, trees and more trees. No wonder the planet was so dense in oxygen – it seemed that the Leumian's had no interest in harvesting wood for any reason. I couldn't see one stump.

"Inside the mountain," Jasper clarifies with an amused note in his voice. His accent is faint but no less fluent than Alice's. "I will lead you."

Jasper is able to carry the majority of Alice's parcels – which I figure to be spools of fabric – as we walk through a heavily guarded entrance in the side of the mountain. The guards seem to inhale the air as I walk past, exchanging curious looks.

I had expected the inside of the mountain to be cave-like like the mines of mountains on Earth.

In reality, the walls are made of smooth stone-like rock, curved in much the same way as the walls in the space station. White lights are built into the walls along the floor and the ceiling, the floor made of shining marble.

The palace is very much a palace.

We pass several well-dressed women and men, their eyes widening when they see me; hands move to cover mouths and whispers begin to echo every hallway and room we pass through.

Paranoia creeps up on me, tickling the back of my neck while I struggle to keep my face in a neutral mask. I had never let rumors and stares affect me before; I would not be starting that now.

While I may not be royalty, I had always been the daughter of a powerful, if cold, man. A man who held great influence over the entire planet.

I knew how to hold myself in public, even if most people thought of me as strange.

Silently, I follow Jasper and Alice into a large room – the only room I had seen so far that had windows, wide and tall views of a valley leading into an ocean. The room is one large circle, curving marbleized walls and soft lights illuminating the shadows the walls create. In the center of the circle along a wall farthest away from the entrance are four separate throne-like chairs.

The chairs are reminiscent of Earth thrones, ornate and large, though these are much simpler and made of sleek metal lines. The metal is unfamiliar to me, some cross between steel and iron – and very hard to move. The chairs themselves are also much larger than thrones from history disks – but, judging from Jasper's height, the size was necessary.

Other than the thrones and the three of us, the room is completely empty. Jasper and Alice remain in the center of the room, their heads close together as they speak quietly to each other.

Not wanting to interrupt their reunion, I wander over to the set of windows, completely mesmerized by the sheer life this planet displays.

Setting my sights on the nature outside the window, my mind wanders to a time where my mother was alive and teaching me about nature – to cherish it, to maintain it's purity.

Painful pangs echo through my chest but I push them away, knowing that I need to keep my mind focused on the present so I can sort through what is currently happening in my life.

Such drastic changes.

Less than five days ago, I was pushing my record with steel and now, I was on an alien planet, arranged to marry – mate – a Prince who probably didn't want me here any more than I had initially wanted to come.

But that had changed sometime on the shuttle. I'd come to push away the resentment that had been forming a pit in my stomach after I'd met Alice. Were my mother alive, she would have assured me that this was a blessing – and though I wasn't spiritual by any means, my mother was.

And I would have been inclined to believe her.

But she wasn't alive; she wasn't telling me what a blessing this may turn out to be.

And I was still nurturing the suspicion brewing inside of me.

"Bella," Alice whispers.

I jump, not realizing she had come up behind me. Turning to face her, I push my hair behind my ears and finger the gemstone hanging from my neck, breathing deeply to push calm into my mind. "Yes?"

"You were talking." Alice says, frowning as if in deep thought. "Oh, what do humans call it? It is lower than whispering and-"

"Muttering!" Jasper supplies, stepping up behind Alice, laying a large hand on her small shoulder.

"Yes! You were _muttering_, Bella. Are you alright?"

I sigh internally – they must think I'm not right in the head, talking to myself in front of a window. "Just a bit tired," I lie, feigning a small yawn.

Perhaps a few sprits of the sleep inducing spray would be beneficial. My mind and the confliction emotions that wanted to be processed would be better settled after a deep, dreamless sleep.

Alice smiles softly, flashing her teeth at me. "You can sleep after you meet the King," she tells me, reaching for my hand and tugging me towards the still empty thrones. "It is a tradition for nobility to visit the family after a trip. And for new comers to introduce themselves. The King should be here soon."

I nod; similar practices had been _traditions _in ancient cultures on Earth as well. The consequence for avoiding the tradition was a trial for treason and a swift death.

Would this King be any different?

As if called by my mind, a man walks briskly through the heavy doors of the room, trailed by four other people.

The man's fair caramel skin, tall burly build and fair hair gives nothing away – but the odd metal crown sitting atop his head does.

It seems the King has arrived.

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><p><strong>AN: i know. i know - really, i do. another update so soon? was i drinking mountain dew? **

**nope. i was just excited about the awesome feedback i got!**

**shout out to Murfdizzle, who was the first review on the first chapter exactly 29 minutes after it was published (yes, i counted. sue me!)**

**i love that everyone is so excited by this story! it makes me excited! which makes me write more! which makes you more excited! get where i'm going with this? it's a never ending cycle of excitement!**

**as always, be brutally honest. i can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: i do not own Twilight; i don't even want to!**

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><p><strong>CHAPTER THREE<strong>

"_Too afraid to go inside  
>For the pain of one more loveless night<br>But the loneliness will stay with me  
>And hold me 'til I fall asleep"<em>

_~ Christina Perri_

The King is dressed in the fashion of the English monarchy in the 21st century – a fine suit in sleek, modern material and a crest embroidered sash.

Bright, tawny eyes asses me critically as he slowly approaches; the people who had walked in behind him stopped and I paid them no mind. My stomach jumped to my throat as the King's cat-like pupils narrow. "So this is the daughter?" he asks aloud, rhetorically; he knows who I am.

He's just playing mind games.

Part of me longs to ask him if he is the King but I force the words to stay trapped in my throat.

My future here was as good as guaranteed. But that didn't mean much – not until it _was_ guaranteed.

Instead, I nod. "Yes, Your Majesty," I murmur, ignoring the muffled gasping groan from behind the King. All of my attention is devoted to making this impression – I was under no illusions that the King could decide to send me back to Earth where I was sure to be locked up by my father.

"How old are you?"

"Sixteen, Sir."

The King's eyes widen and he steps back. "You're a mere child!"

I stiffen, raising my chin defiantly. If only he knew how much of a child I am not – not with the loss of my mother, the isolation of my life and the two psychic abilities battling it out in my head. "I am almost seventeen, Sir."

The King continues to frown, begins to pace, tugs on the ends of his thick hair. He is silent, occasionally glancing at me and at someone behind him.

"How long until you are older?"

I am startled by the sudden question. "A few weeks, Sir."

The King nods. "Then the mating will have to wait until then. Congratulations, Edward. You got the time you wanted."

"Thank you, Father."

My heart trembles at the sound of his voice – deep and gravely, accented just enough to be interesting but not enough to stand out. I feel my face heat and lower my eyes to the ground as the King makes a grunting sound, moving over to one of the larger thrones; the people who had been silently following him also move onto the thrones.

They were not mere citizens of the planet, then.

They were the royal family.

"What is your name?"

I swallow down the nerves that had begun to crawl back up my throat and answer the question that was asked by one of the females seated on a throne. "Bella Skye."

She repeats my name, rolling it on her tongue. She is extraordinarily beautiful – even more so than Alice – with honey-toned skin, rich caramel hair and clear green eyes. She is the queen, dressed in a silky shoulder-bearing green dress, several swirling lines marking her collarbones. "Bella, welcome to Leumin."

"Thank you, Your Majesty-"

"Call me Esme," she demands kindly, smiling gently. There is something intensely maternal about the Queen and my heart longs to reach out to her. She seems so familiar to me, like my own mother is in the room with me though Esme looks nothing like my mother. "This is my husband, Carlisle, and our children, Edward and Rosalie."

She gestures to two young Leumian's sitting in the slightly smaller thrones, off center to the King and Queen's.

Rosalie looks to be around my age or Alice's, her face angular like all Leumian but soft at the same time though still haughty as she pointedly scrapes her gaze across my form. Her hair is somewhere in between the shade of her parents and her eyes are the exact shade of her mother's. Rosalie's markings on her shoulders seem to be faint, as if they are still developing.

Edward – the Prince – is stunning and intimidating.

I first notice his height, taller than his father, his body more lithe and lethal, overflowing the throne he lazily leans on. His jaw is chiseled, his nose perfectly straight and his eyes a particularly vibrant shade between green and blue. His wild hair is striking, a deep copper near at the roots that fades into white-blonde at the tips.

Unlike his sister, his perusal of me is subtle. Bored, even.

But I can see a certain heat in his eyes that make makes me shiver.

"Alice, would you be a dear and show Bella to one of the guest rooms?" Esme orders more than asks before turning her steady gaze to me. "We were going to allow you to stay with Edward-"

"But we were under the impression that you were _older_." Carlisle cuts in, his eyes narrowing in suspicion again before they clear and he glances apologetically at me and his son.

Father had lied about my age, that much was clear. But why? And why did it matter if I was seventeen before I married – mated – the Prince?

Again, the secrets of the Leumian people hits me, the weight of curiosity weighing heavily on the forefront of my mind.

I glance at Edward once more, absorbing his carefully schooled expression, before I follow Alice and Jasper out of the throne room and down more winding hallways. Futilely, I try to memorize the path we take so I will be able to navigate my way around the castle myself.

But I remain confused as the rounded hallways all look alike and I am used to the much simpler modern structures of Earth. I could only hope that, in time, I would be able to find my way.

I do, however, manage to catalogue all of the different and new metals that were built into ever facet of the palace – the lights, the floors, the walls, and the décor. Everything was metal based, it seemed.

Part of me was intrigued by this – on Earth, it was so uncommon to find metal-infused items, let alone metal-based. It was exciting to be surrounded by all of the metallic material.

Another, more dominant, part of me is pleased that I would have the means to protect myself if I ever needed to.

I couldn't wait to begin training with these new metals, dashes of excitement rushing through my body. The days on the shuttle had caused built up energy; I wanted nothing more than to push myself, stretch my abilities as far as they could go.

Alice stops at a peculiar white metal door, which slides open as she presses her hand against the wall beside it. "This will be your room," she tells me happily. "I will collect you for the last meal of the day!"

Alice and Jasper quickly scurry down the hall, his tall body overshadowing hers – but the love between them is real and makes my chest ache.

I think about the Prince as I examine my bedroom – the suspended bed near the ceiling, held by nothing but air, the tall, narrow windows that view the same valley as the throne room, the mixture of Renaissance décor and alcove couches that occupy the rest of the space.

Would the Prince one-day look at me in the same way Jasper looks at Alice? I had reason to suspect – and, strangely, hope – because of the heat in his eyes when he looked at me.

Did Leumian's experience the same lust the humans did?

And what of this mating? Was it meant to describe a marriage or the clinical, scientific act?

I collapse into an alcove couch, cradling my head in my hands, trying to force my mind to stop running so quickly. I stay that way for an immeasurable amount of time before I heave out a huge sigh and stand, making myself sit in the center of the room facing the windows. My legs are crossed in front of me and my hands rest palm up on my thighs, my back straight but my shoulders relaxed.

I begin breathing slowly, holding the air in and counting to ten before I let the breath out. Again and again I repeat the pattern until all I can hear is the sound of my breathing. Completely relaxed, I open my eyes and raise my hands in front of me, urging the random metal materials in the room to gather in my line of sight.

I am shocked to find how light some metals are and how astonishingly heavy the others are – there doesn't seem to be any metals that fall into the middle area. Those are, normally, my target metals because they have the most impact in the shortest amount of time.

Leumian seems to lack the metals that make it easy to protect myself.

Lighter metals would work, of course. But it would be too time consuming to be constantly pulling light metals. And the heavier metals would significantly drain me, making me more vulnerable.

I bite my lip as I concentrate on breathing again, unconsciously letting the lighter metals dance together while the heavier metals seem to slowly droop to the floor.

I am so focused on keeping myself from panicking that I do not hear the sliding of the door behind me – metals continue to float around the room as my eyes drift shut so I can better dissect the weight of the heavier metals.

A loud curse fills the room.

The metal objects drop with several loud clangs.

My eyes snap open as my torso twists, a heavy metal rising from the ground and flying towards the intruder with such great velocity that my head begins to ache.

Edward ducks down at the last second; the metal crashes into the now closed sliding door.

Slowly, I realize the events and mortification seeps into my pores. Edward stands warily, his tall body menacing though his body language is not – a few muffled words in a language I do not know escape his perfect lips before his vibrant eyes catch mine.

"It seems your father also lied about your talents." His voice is low and accusatory and I can see the paranoia creeping into his consciousness – in fact, I can almost read his thoughts just from the expression on his face.

He thinks I have been sent here as a spy, an enemy.

And I have no solid evidence to prove him wrong.

So, I say nothing. I do not look away. I do not make the metals on the floor, some probably broken, to right themselves. I do not even breathe as his eyes grow more and more cold, as his fists clench and his jaw tightens.

But when he takes a hard step towards me, my body reacts – the center of my brain tingles as waves of pure energy rush down my arms and into my fingertips and all of the metal in the room rises around me.

Edward stops, his mouth dropping open slightly and I can only imagine what I must look like.

My hair, short as it is, is probably beginning to rise by itself from my face just like the metal objects rise in the air by themselves. My small body is folded up and my face is tense with fear.

They will send me back.

They might even kill me.

For all I know, psychics – and those with gifts far beyond the norm – are considered evil on Leumin. They might wish to eradicate such a threat.

My death at the hands of these people wouldn't even be considered a crime by the Seven – not if the Leumin's truly believed that they were protecting themselves and their planet.

But instead of yelling or trying to attack, Edward takes a step back, his hands and face relaxed. He makes soft, soothing sounds at me like one might make to a wild animal.

Perhaps he did see me as nothing more than an animal – I am, after all, an alien to him. Not Leumin. And certainly not normal.

I force my body to relax; feel my hair settle around my face and the metals return to their original spots. I begin breathing deeply to center myself and force the electricity in my fingers to migrate away.

"What else can you do?" Edward asks quietly. I can tell he struggles to keep the edge out of his voice.

"That is all." But then it occurs to me that he would not have been able to see the talent that the people on Earth know about. "I can shock people," I say quietly, feeling my body cringe.

"I see," Edward says flatly.

I wonder if he really does see.

He is so extraordinary; I have to force my face not to reveal how much I appreciate his appearance. Instead, I ask the question that had begun to burn in my mind. "Why are you in here?"

And just like that, his face closes off. "I have authorization to be in this room."

"Not from me."

Edward's face forms into a sneer that flashes the sharp incisors of his white teeth. "I do not require authorization from _you_."

My face heats as a force a numb mask over it, ignoring the sting of tears that had begun to gather behind my eyes. This was the most inopportune time for emotions to push their way to the surface.

Edward inhales and his face falters for a moment before he gruffly speaks. "Alice is occupied at the moment and I have come to guide you to the meal."

I nod and stand, careful to keep him from seeing my face, careful not to look at his and careful not to stand too close to him – partially in shame for allowing my emotions to guide my words and partially because I do not want to form an attachment to his presence when it is obvious he does not want me here.

Perhaps the Prince was forced into this arrangement, as well. I stomp on the questions that begin to form from that thought – why would he even need to agree to this when his looks are so…

I do not finish that thought before we arrive back in the throne room which now is decorated with tables and chairs, again in a confusing mixture of future styling's and Renaissance themes.

I am seated in a chair across the table from Edward and beside his sister, who does not spare me a glance. I keep my head down as food is served. I listen to the quiet conversations going on around me and pick at my food, mostly pushing it around the plate. The food is surprisingly good – what I do eat, that is - though it is much more colorful than what I am used to eating.

The others at the table pay me no mind, although I do feel several pairs of eyes looking at me from time to time – or one set of eyes looking at me nearly constantly.

I do not care either way.

After the meal is cleared, Edward walks me back to my room and though I do not look at him, I hear his mouth open and close several times. I do not spare him a glance when the door of my room slides close, separating them.

It is all I can do, at that point, to hold in the sob that has grown in my chest.

Alone, I let the emotions had had been pushing down bubble to the surface. They break in violent, body shaking cries as I process them individually.

Once I am done crying them out, I am exhausted, having just enough wherewithal to move myself onto the alcove couch.

Sleep comes easy, blissfully deep and dark.

I wonder how many times I will have to cry myself to sleep on this beautiful planet.

And with that thought, I begin to wonder about the slight haze that had been my companion the entire night.

It hits me while I hover in that place between asleep and awake – my brain was trying to adjust to the higher level of oxygen. It would explain so much about the day.

It was no excuse, of course. But it was an explanation that soothed my tired mind and body.

When I woke, it was to quiet tapping outside my door.

I stumble, feeling feverish and damp with sweat, off of the couch, leaning my body against the wall as the door slides open.

The happy expression on Alice's face vanishes when she takes in my crumpled form. "Jasper!" she screeches, rushing towards me to support my body as I slump towards the floor.

Jasper, who had apparently been just down the hall, takes in the scene before him with barely contained horror. "What's wrong with her?"

Alice's voice is panicked when she answers. "I-I don't know. Fever? This is the first human….Help me get her onto the bed!"

Stronger arms lift my body while I hear the quick clicking of Alice's steps before I am placed onto the hovering mattress. I am too exhausted to even wonder how the bed was lowered to the ground.

"Alice, it doesn't look like she slept here," Jasper says quietly.

"Edward was supposed to…" Her voice fades out in time with the rush of white noise filling my ears. "Jasper, go get the Healer and Edward. He should be here to see…He should have…"

I feel cool hands on my face after the sound of the door sliding closed fills the room. "I should have seen this, Bella. I'm so sorry…"

Sometime later – it could have been seconds or hours – I hear a flurry of voices and footsteps and shocked gasps.

"The first human on the planet and _this_ happens to her. I thought humans were supposed to be compatible with…" This voice sounds old and unfamiliar but the hands that accompany it are soft and warm. "What did she eat? Touch?"

"I don't know." His voice is muffled and quiet, strained but I know that it is the Prince.

"Edward! How can you not know? She's your-"

"Did she seem ill before?"

"I don't know…"

"Her temperature is so high for a human. I don't know if I'll be able to heal-"

"You _have_ to!" Alice. "She's important-"

"She's not normal-"

"Of course she isn't, Edward!"

"Her heart is beating much slower than the data bases say human hearts should beat…"

"…Oh, no…"

I hear sobbing but I cannot make myself open my eyes. I feel so tired, hot and clammy. Everything is loud and confusing.

"What's going on here?" A new voice, loud and feminine. Confident. "I could hear you from the hallway…Is that the human?"

"She is ill."

"Dying. She's _dying_."

"Why is this happening, Healer?" The new voice demands, much closer than all the other seem to be.

"I'm not sure, Princess. Maybe from traveling or the atmosphere. Food poisoning..."

"If she can't be saved, then she wasn't meant to be here. She shouldn't have come-"

"Shut up, Edward!" The new voice.

Alice. "You have no idea what she has been through you-"

I can feel myself coughing but I can't hear it. Fingers press into my wrist.

"Her blood pressure is dropping…"

"Do something!"

"There is nothing he can do, Rosalie. Just let her-"

"Blood," the older voice says. "Our blood has healing properties…"

"Edward should-"

"I will not."

"You're supposed to mate with her! It should be _your_ blood."

"Her heart rate is dropping. I would give her my own, but I am so old. I need someone to do it or she will die."

"Edward!"

"No, Alice. I didn't want her here in the first place. And she is so abnormal. Too strange-"

"I'll do it."

"Thank you, Princess. Now, if you would cut here and hold your wrist over her mouth…"

Cool, thick and sweet liquid drips into my dry throat. I swallow automatically. Time passes between liquid, sleep and swallowing.

"I can't believe you, Edward."

Another voice. Stern. Disappointed.

"She clearly belongs on Earth."

A deep, heavy sigh. "Edward, you asked for time. Now, you are lucky she is alive so you can use that time. She might surprise you."

"She already has," is his wry reply.

Then there is only silence. Long silence and sleep as my body begins to feel more like my own and less like a feverish hell.

Rosalie and Alice are in my room when I wake. Alice takes the time to explain that I had been asleep for two days. She also explains that Rosalie gave me her blood so I would live.

Neither of them mention Edward.

Together, Alice and Rosalie explain that I might feel more attached to Rosalie for a few days while my body metabolizes her blood.

I find Rosalie to be much warmer than I had judged her for, though she is still arrogant and demanding. I like that she doesn't beat around the bush and tells me that I need to bathe.

Immediately.

As Rosalie disappears to see to her Princess duties, Alice shows me how to operate the bed in my room, how to open the room's door – and lock it – and where the lavish washroom is, the waste-room hidden in a closet near the sleek bathing tub.

I enjoy a leisurely soak in exotic scents, my body somehow sore though I have been sleeping, apparently, for days. I stay in the hot water until my skin is red and pruning, drying myself with a soft towel as the Leumian do not have the drying jets I am so used to. I think I prefer the towel.

Alice has left a soft dress on the alcove couch along with a pair of knee-high, mocha colored slouch boots. The dress is ethereal, a sweetheart neckline, a low dip to the small of my back and the shoulders bare, long loose layers of fabric making sleeves that cover my hands; the hem of the dress reaches just under mid-thigh and the entire garment is made of white, breezy, lacey-light fabrics. My mother's pendant looks magnificent against the dress and my hair has dried in short, wavy layers, short bangs pushed to the side of my face.

Jasper and Alice come to escort me to the throne room for a mid-day meal and, to my uncomfortable shock, the room silences upon my arrival. Again, I am seated across from the Prince.

His gaze remains on his plate.

"Dear, how are you feeling?"

I look away from the top of Edward's head and into the clear green eyes of the Queen.

"I am much better, thank you," I say quietly. "But I don't understand why that happened."

"The Healer thinks it must have been a reaction to the toxic gasses in the cloud your pod broke through upon entering Leumin's atmosphere," the King answers. "It would have not affected a Leumian, but as you are human…"

"You couldn't have known," I say, picking at the food in front of me. I should have suspected, though – I was able to find information on their clouds, after all.

"The Healer will see to it that you have a tonic on hand that will cure you of any ailments, should you stumble across more."

"Thank you."

Esme glances at her son. "I'm only sorry that it had to come to my daughter giving you her blood to fix it."

I feel my face flush in shame. "I'm sorry-"

"No dear, the fault is not with you. It's with my silent _son_."

Edward's fingers clench around his utensil; he drops it onto his plate with a loud clatter as he shoves away from the table and storms out of the room.

He doesn't look back.

The rest of the meal is spent in relative silence and when it is over, Alice and Jasper walk me back to my room.

Sitting on the alcove couch is Edward; his large hands clasped together, his head down and his tall body tense.

I lean against the wall, silently observing him as he seems to gather his wits or his words. But when he does look up at me, those vibrant eyes wide and searching, he seems so lost that I find myself wanting to fix him.

He didn't want to fix me, though.

I would be stupid if I began to entertain the notion of a romance brewing between myself and this alien Prince who, clearly, wanted me gone by whatever means necessary.

Before he could start speaking, I hardened my heart, feeling ice wrap around my chest.

"I'm sorry," he says. "About before. About not giving you my blood."

Keeping my face neutral, I push off the wall and walk towards him, stopping five feet away, which makes him look up at me, the place where his eyebrows should be furrowing.

"You're not sorry."

His face crumples, a thousand emotions rushing through his eyes; guilt, shame, sadness. "I-"

"No, it's alright. You don't want me here. I'm sure there is a Leumian girl that would be better suited for you."

"It's not that-"

"But I've got a plan," I interrupt. It wasn't a lie – I'd thought of it during the meal. "We can go through with this mating thing, satisfy our parents and the Seven. Then, one day, I'll go on a hike and disappear. Don't worry, I won't wait for years to leave and I'll be careful to make it look like an accident."

Edward's eyes widen as he begins to understand what I'm trying to say. It was really perfect for everyone involved – the Seven got their treaty, my father wouldn't have to pretend to care, Edward could mate with a Leumin when I was gone and I wouldn't have to keep my secrets any more.

I step away, towards the door hoping he would get the hint and leave me alone; I didn't like the heavy feeling in my chest.

Edward stands, pushing his hands through his hair. "No, don't do that. I was wrong. I realize that now."

I turn towards him, crossing my arms and feeling a chill on my bare shoulders. "You were probably right, Edward. _Now_, you are wrong. Really. It will be better for everyone if we just go through with my plan."

"I don't want that-"

"Of course you do." I level him with the coldest stare I can manage and make a small metal trinket float across his line of sight. "I am abnormal, like you said."

I don't know why, but when I see pain and regret flash across his face, tears build up behind my eyes.

I force myself to continue, letting the trinket drop to the ground and sliding my door open. "Now, please leave. I'm sure you have better things to do."

I hear his footsteps as they come closer. "I was wrong, Bella. I should have given you my blood, not my sister."

"You should go."

"Bella-"

"Please. Now."

Edward sighs and leaves but not before silently pleading for me to listen to him.

I let the door slide closed.

I lock it.

And I bury my head into my arms, my knees to my chest and cry for the second time in three days.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: and there it is - i must say, three updates in less than a week? a record, i think. **

**how many people wanted to beat Edward? and then slap Bella? and high-five Rosalie? (bet none of you saw **_**that **_**coming, huh?)**

**so, many of you lovely readers have been mentioning **_**Written In the Stars**_** -if you haven't read it, go do that. admittedly, WIS is one of my favorite fictions out there and sort of spurred me on to write my own Sci-Fi. that said, i'm going to be as original as possible with my own Sci-Fi because i would hate to turn into a cliched writer of recycled plots.**

**notable reviews; **_**celia azul**_**, who has expressed her interest in shipping me Mountain Dew - that was AWESOME, and JLS0823, who wrote a review that just made me all kinds of happy inside. **

**and a special shout-out to **_**YesMyRealNameIsBella**_**. is your name Bella?****either way, you made my day with your review!**

**be brutally honest. i can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: i do not own Twilight; i don't even want to! i do own some cookie mix and almonds...that'll be yummy, later.**

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER FOUR<strong>

"_Wait a minute I don't want you to know  
>It's the only way that I might grow<br>A secret's safe behind a pretty smile"_

_~Christina Perri_

"_He_ was here."

I hastily dry my eyes and look up at the Princess – Rosalie, as she insisted I call her. Her lips are pursed together, arms crossed over her chest, standing just inside my doorway. When did she get here?

"How did he get in?"

I shrug and stand. "He was in here before I came in." I clear my throat and sniff, unused to the after-effects of crying. "I don't know how to take away his authorization."

"I do." And Rosalie easily adjusts whatever settings are on the pad beside my door.

"How did you know he was here?"

"Hmm? Oh, Leumin sense of smell."

I file away that information, falling into my normal, more comfortable closed off headspace – where I can happily burry emotions and tap into my abilities. Rosalie moves around my room, avoiding the places Edward had been, and seats herself on a fluffy, low chair. I sit across from her, feeling an indescribable need to be near her – she was, despite her cool head, comforting.

"How else are Leumian's different from humans?"

Rosalie thinks for a moment. "We are more similar than you think. We are not much faster than you are, our eyesight is not drastically better, though we can see better in the dark. You see that males are much taller and that Leumian bodies are thin." She pauses, tapping her nails against her knee before she thrusts her hand forward, letting me watch in awed horror as three-inch claws jump out from her nail beds. "Retractable claws. And fangs."

"Fangs?"

Rosalie nods, flashing me a very pointy smile. "For mating."

I feel my brows furrow. "I don't understand."

"How can I explain it? Many things happen during mating, besides the obvious. Blood exchanges that tie you to your mate. Mind sharing. It's all very intimate."

I frown, thinking that those might be reasons why Edward didn't want-

"But that's not Edward's issues," Rosalie hurriedly says, smiling sheepishly at me. "He wants to mate for _love_."

And then my stomach drops and I feel sick.

So many things explained to me.

Why the King granted Edward time. Edward's reluctance. Just, everything.

He wanted to be in love.

"I didn't know…"

Rosalie pats my hand, her nails now short and trimmed just like before. "He didn't say anything. And then he was willing to let you die."

"He apologized," I say weakly.

Rosalie snorts, sits up straight and tosses her hair over her shoulders. "As rare as that might be, let him work for it. You're attracted to him, right?"

I feel my face heat as I consider her question. I am attracted to him physically. And he had recently shown a decent side of his personality. "I suppose," I concede.

"Then let him earn his rights to mate with you. You might be arranged for him because of politics, but that does not mean you have to be unhappy. I can…feel your emotions for my brother, Bella. And as confusing as they might be, they are pure."

I let her words sink in, sooth my battered mind from my last encounter with Edward.

I wasn't close to forgiving him, yet, but I could acknowledge that Rosalie was right. In the back of my mind, I let my little plan marinate, saving it as a contingency.

"Besides," Rosalie continues, twisting her hair in a pattern similar to a braid, but much more complicated. "I'm tied to you now. I cannot stand by and watch you be unhappy. It's my responsibility to keep you safe and content until someone else can. Our connection will fade over time, after all."

"How does that work? The…tie?"

"It's my blood in your body. An enzyme that infiltrates your cells and literally ties you to me from a cellular level. You even smell a bit like me, now." She pauses, pondering something for a moment. "It probably isn't pleasing to Edward to smell someone else in you," she says gleefully.

"Why?"

"Leumian males are very possessive."

I feel myself frown. That didn't sound healthy but they weren't human – it is in their culture to cultivate those kinds of behaviors.

"Like my own mate, Emmett," Rosalie says dreamily. "Oh, he hates it when Father makes me socialize at solstice balls, but since I am not yet seventeen, he cannot officially claim me. We cannot even exchange blood yet!"

"Is he okay that you gave me your blood?" I ask quietly, wanting her to be as happy as possible for some elusive reason. Probably the tie.

Rosalie snorts. "He doesn't have a choice. Emmett may be the male, but he knows that he should listen to me. Besides, he wouldn't have wanted you to die, either. My brother wasn't volunteering, the Healer was too old and Alice's blood wouldn't have been strong enough. I don't regret saving you, Bella."

That is when I decide that my loyalty to Rosalie isn't because of the tie her blood caused; she is genuinely a good person. Someone who had admitted to looking out for me. Who wanted to help me – and had, by clearing up the questions that being in her brother's presence had caused.

X*x*X

The metal is too heavy for my mind to grasp.

Panting, I let it lower to the bright green grass of the clearing I had found in the valley. It looked like a rock – it probably was – but the metal content of it was off the charts. I'd never come across anything so heavy – I could barely raise it a foot.

I rub my temples, closing my eyes and centering myself away from the throbbing in my head. I probably shouldn't have tried to mess with the rock, but I couldn't resist; I'd always found solace in pushing my mind when I otherwise felt empty.

And I did feel empty.

Everything that had transpired while I was on Leumin made my entire being ache - it seemed like the more I am surrounded by people who care about me, the more lonely I feel.

I didn't know what I wanted.

To be left alone? That, I was used to.

To be on Earth, locked up in a mental facility? That might be preferable to what I was feeling now.

Some part of my mind was aware that, had these feelings been voiced on Earth, Yvette would have sent me to a psychoanalyst who would have diagnosed me with the depression that our ancestors were so fond of. Doctors in our age had cured everything from the common cold to cancer to autism.

Where did all of this put me?

On an alien planet, tied to a female with a mate, betrothed to a male who would rather see my death and crushingly isolated.

Abnormal on Earth and even more abnormal on Leumin.

I ponder this, laying back against the too soft grass and looking up at the sky. Sunset here is achingly beautiful, the colors bright and the stars visible through the sky, twin moons battling for attention.

I had never quite fit in anywhere – not even the Psychic Training and Testing facility where abnormal _was_ normal. I appeared too thin to Earthlings and too Leumian for an Earthling on Leumin.

And why was that?

I remembered my mother, who was tall and thin much like the Leumian's, with pale skin and indigo eyes and long, dark hair. My mother, who had a lilted accent, not quite like anything I'd ever heard on Earth.

My mother who died of a disease that no doctor could neither diagnose or treat.

A beat passes, the pounding in my brain relatively calm, before I sit up, feeling unbearably sick. I heave onto the grass beside me, gasping while the acid in my stomach forces itself up. Tears swim in my eyes when I begin to dry-heave.

My heart pounds in my ears, distracting me as I try to slow my breathing.

I do not hear the sharp snap of a twig or the racing footsteps coming towards me.

Suddenly, rough hands are grasping me, pulling me away from where I was leaning over the grass and up into the air – and farther away, the unmistakable sound of Edward's voice demanding my release.

I begin to struggle as I am toted away, towards the palace hidden in the mountains with Edward's angry voice following behind. One of the hands slaps me across the face, silencing my own screams.

_I can protect myself_, I think fiercely, digging deep into my mind and relishing in the rush of electricity flowing over the surface of my skin. I do not hold back, instead ramming the humming energy on my skin up to a jarring shock.

The hands drop me with pained groans – two Leumian men, clutching their heads on the ground, cringing away from me as my skin continues to crackle.

As heavy as the metal is and as tired as my mind feels, I force several large rocks to hover over the air of the Leumian males. I am panting, straining with my hands held in front of my body, struggling to maintain focus – I had never used both of my abilities at such high levels and it was draining me quickly.

"Bella! Put those down!"

I ignore Edward – he couldn't be trusted, not really. Not even thirty seconds ago was he demanding that the Leumian males release me and now he was ordering me to stave off from attacking them?

I shake my head even as my entire body trembles. Blood runs down my nose. I cough. Stars dance in front of my eyes.

And the King's voice fills the open air of the valley.

"So not only did that conniving weasel of a President send me a hybrid, he traded off a bio-enhanced psychic?"

The large rocks drop along with my body, just barely missing the Leumian males who were still recovering from my shock.

Hybrid?

Not realizing that my eyes had closed, I force them open, looking up at the King as he stands over me. I can see Edward over his shoulder – his expression confused. Innocent.

Maybe he was trying to help me after all.

The King crouches down, his pupils constricting into slits. "What else can you do?"

I cough, struggling to keep the world around me from spinning. Worry races across Edward's face and the King remains unmoved. But my mind is still stuck.

"Hybrid? Bio-enhanced?"

"Oh, don't play naïve, child."

"I don't understand!" I yell, gasping as several sharp pains poke through my head. "My father is human! My mother was-"

_ Not human_, my mind supplies in a small whisper. No, she wasn't human at all. Hadn't I just been thinking about her abnormalities before all of this had happened?

"You're mother was Leumian."

Of course she was. Everything that I could remember about her screamed Leumian.

Did Father know? Does he know I'm half Leumian – a hybrid like the King suggests?

"I had suspected," the King begins, standing, circling me. "Your scent, for one. It's too naturally sweet to be human. Your body – surely others have commented on that, as well. Then Alice mentioned your eyes when you were unconscious – human pupil, Leumian coloring. And, from what my daughter has told her mother, the easy way that you drank her blood, the fast healing because of that. Leumian blood heals Leumian's – it was a gamble since we thought you were human. But the Healer just confirmed it through a blood test. You are not completely human."

"Father-"

"Quiet, Edward. You've done enough this moon cycle. Take the girl to her room. She doesn't look very healthy."

Soft, gentle hands lift me from the ground and carry me away. My eyes refuse to open as my mind begins to process rapidly.

I am a hybrid Leumian.

What did that mean to the King? He didn't seem to be the manipulative type – but then, he also sent those males to capture me.

And what did bio-enhanced mean? Were there other secrets about my life – my own mind and body – that were hidden from me?

I groan when Edward settles me on my bed though he is so surprisingly gentle. I feel a cool cloth wiping at the dried blood under my nose and a soothing song being hummed, lulling me into unconsciousness.

When I wake, Rosalie is in the room, stroking my short hair away from my face. "Half-Leumian, huh? And what's this about some cool psychic tricks you can do? I sit and answer all of those questions yesterday and you're keeping secrets! That's not fair, Bella!" She jokes.

And from her jovial demeanor, I am calmed. Surely, if she is as happy as she is now, I would be able to remain on Leumin.

I sit up, surprised at how sore my body is; my arms ache more than my head does.

I am also surprised to see a sleeping Edward on my alcove couch.

"He refused to leave when I got here," Rosalie whispers, sitting beside me. "I came as soon as I could. Bella, I am so sorry Father-"

"No, no. You have nothing to apologize for," I assure her, patting her hand lightly and forcing my eyes from Edward's sleeping form. He looks so peaceful – angelic, even, his lips parted and his eyes lightly fluttering.

"I'll go call for the Healer. He wanted to speak to you when you woke up."

"What about the King?"

Rosalie's eyes widen comically. "He's in trouble with the Queen. She does not approve of what he did, even if he thought he was protecting his people from a threat – from _you_. The Healer hadn't explained anything properly and Father over reacted…and now, Father is groveling." She grins, waving her fingers and sauntering out of my room.

"You look better."

I jump, my eyes connecting with Edward's – vibrant teal meeting icy blue. I can't look away from him. I'm not even sure I want to.

"I was wrong," he says, sitting up slowly, careful to keep our eyes locked. "I was stubborn. I-I didn't think you would be so…"

"So what?" I murmur absently.

"Amazing," he whispers, standing, coming closer. Not close enough. Too slowly.

"Why do I want you so much?"

"Your blood sings to me," he answers, reaching out a gentle hand, stroking the side of my face.

I tremble.

"It recognizes me," Edward continues. "The Leumian part of you."

I am silent as his fingers trace over my face and neck, lightly over my lips that part under the slight pressure.

"Forgive me," he begs brokenly.

I shake my head, snapping out of my daze, forcing my eyes away from him through they immediately want to connect again. Whole. He made me feel whole.

But I couldn't forgive him. Couldn't trust him. Not yet.

"I'll do anything," Edward promises. "I'll be anything for you. I was so wrong, Bella. I can't believe I stood there and refused…I'll earn your trust. Just, don't send me away, please."

If only he knew that, I couldn't even imagine sending him away.

No, I needed him close. As tied as I am to Rosalie, I was more tied to Edward, even without the blood.

Strom refuses to move when the Healer enters the room, even though he sister glares steadily at him; I realize that she wants to stand closer to be because of our tie but I can't let Edward move an inch. It's a shattering realization to know that I need him so much in such a short amount of time, even after everything.

It is then that I realize my forgiveness – forgiveness that will be hidden by my tender heart.

"How long have you displayed psychic abilities?"

"For as long as I can remember. Before my mother died."

"And when was that?"

"When I was seven," I tell the Healer, who is taking copious notes, ignoring the protective Leumian's hovering by my side.

"And did you know of your heritage at that time?"

I frown, knowing that that is a question from the King. "No. I realized that after coming to Leumin."

"Did you know that there are bio-enhancement chips in your brain?"

My brows furrow. "I don't understand what that means. The bio-enhancement."

The Healer looks up from his papers. "Bio-enhancement covers surgeries that are meant to enhance mental attributes before development. They can make muscles hold more mass or make you grow taller. Yours, in particular, are located at the fulcrum of your psychic abilities."

"Oh."

"Did you know about the bio-enhancement?"

"No."

"Do you recall any surgeries from when you were younger?"

I shake my head.

"Are there any scars on your scalp that you know of?"

My fingers automatically reach for the thin line that reached from the top of my head to the base of my neck. "Yes. I was told that I had fallen as a child."

It was true – that was what Father had told me when I asked him about it. I remember his evasive answer, his nervous expression.

"Can you show me where the scar is?" As the Healer's fingers probe the top of my scalp, he makes a low humming sound. "On Leumin, the scar would have been invisible."

"Why is that?"

"Our technological advances are more…streamlined than the human advances. Our civilization is older," Edward answers quietly, seemingly struggling to keep his hands held to his side. He is glaring at the Healer, evidently angry that the Healer is touching me.

"Yes, we have several millennia of development over Earth," the Healer agrees absently. "Would you like the scar treated? It can become invisible."

I shake my head. No, I wanted to keep it – as a reminder of the lies my father had told me, secrets he kept from me for all of these unknown reasons.

Was the reason he volunteered his own daughter because I was half Leumian? Was my heritage something he was aware of or was it just a coincidence?

"Very well. Now, could you please detail…"

The Healer asks several overlapping questions about my abilities, about my monthly cycle – which is embarrassing, as Edward listens intently to every word I speak – and about my memories of my mother. It seems that hours pass while the Healer writes down every detail of my childhood up until now. He reveals nothing in his expression.

When he does leave, I do not miss the relaxed posture of Edward, or the way his hands twitch towards mine.

Rosalie kicks him out soon after, her excuse being that Alice was coming soon and that we all had to get ready together. It struck me as a hugely human thing to do as I thought that Leumian's were independent to each other.

Edward is reluctant to leave and only departs with the promise that he will see me soon at the evening meal in the throne room.

Alice brings a coral-colored dress for Rosalie and a sea green, corset-type dress for me that was longer than others she had made – the hem of the dress reached mid-calf on me. The color of the dress, which leaves only my shoulders bare, makes my mother's pendant appear blue, matching the color of my eyes. Alice eagerly suggests I leave my hair to dry in natural waves and I do, feeling tired from the events in the last few days.

The short walk to the throne room seems to take ages, my feet and legs aching, my mind completely exhausted. Upon entering, the Queen stands, shooting a glare at the King who refuses to make eye contact, his posture completely shamed. Edward also stands, though he watches from a few feet away as his mother embraces me tightly and apologizes on behalf of her husband.

"So, what do you remember about your mother?" Esme asks as the servers place full plates of food in front of all who are seated at the table.

And again, I tell what I remember to everyone within earshot.

But the Queen and King are frozen with their utensils halfway to their mouths, their eyes wide in shock.

"Pale skin, you say?" Esme clarifies quietly, exchanging a nervous glance with her husband.

I nod, confused to their reaction. "Yes, it looked like her skin had never seen the sun. Is that odd for a Leumian?"

The Queen clears her throat. "Not odd, per say. Dear, would you mind if the Healer takes another sample of your blood so we might be able to find out if you have any Leumian relatives living?"

It hadn't even occurred to me that I might have family on Leumin.

Immediately, I nod, eager to learn more about this new side of myself.

And after the meal, the Healer comes to my room again to take a sample of my hair and blood, using a tiny pricking needle and only requiring a small amount of blood.

X*x*X

Emmett is a huge Leumian. Not only in that he is devastatingly tall, he is also burly with thick muscles – unlike every Leumian I had ever seen before. His skin is faintly blue, his hair the purest ebony I'd ever seen and his eyes a shocking shade of violet blue. He wears metal over his body's vulnerable zones – his chest, arms, back and upper legs.

Nobility turned military Leumian.

Rosalie is completely infatuated with him, his jovial sense of humor and a kind of inherent kindness that just seeps out of his face.

Emmett is also older than Edward – twenty-four in Leumian – and considered an adult.

This does not settle well for Edward, who alternates between glaring at Emmett and standing slightly in front of me, as if he could somehow stop Emmett from seeing me.

I find myself deeply amused with Edward's behavior, though Rosalie is obviously annoyed with it. She tries repeatedly to subtly convince Emmett to go for a walk and Emmett continually refuses, bowing to Edward's silent warning.

Emmett, it seemed, was smarter than he let on.

He keeps Rosalie's room entertained with tales of soldier antics from the latest scouting mission across the entire surface of Leumin. He quietly assures Rosalie that it was his last one as he did not intend to leave her side while she was so close to her own birthday. It was really quite sweet, that complete and utter devotion.

While my own room is decorated with muted whites and grays, Rosalie's room is very indicative of her personality. The rounded walls are painted deep red, the floor covered in warm purple and red rugs and her massive bed a giant purple cloud of comfort. The color scheme reminds me of ancient Middle-Eastern Indians extravagance.

It fits her perfectly.

Edward sits beside me, closer than he had ever been before. The close proximity makes my skin prickle with anticipation that I brutally beat down. It was frightening feeling such intensity towards a man who, not four days ago, was willing to watch me die but who had also sworn to gain my trust. The absolute last thing I needed was to feel even more attracted to him.

Rosalie shoots me an amused look as she feels my heart rate spike through our fading tie. I make a subtle face at her, tugging at the neckline of my sea green dress. I was aware there wasn't much to look at by human standards, but between the other two Leumian females in Rosalie's room, my chest felt huge.

Truthfully, I didn't want Edward to get any glimpses of skin he shouldn't be seeing.

I had a feeling, though, that he already had.

"Are you okay?"

With one last tug at the neckline, I let my eyes sly over Edward's concerned face, taking in the thinly veiled interest in his eyes.

"I'm fine."

"Whoa, no secret conversations you two!"

Rosalie giggles at Emmett's sudden exclamation and the suggestive glint in his eyes. Had he been human, I'm sure he would have wiggled his brows.

The night passes quickly, laughter and chocolate-like snacks being passed around the room. Through the windows in Rosalie's room – wider than mine, but shorter – we all observe the mesmerizing sunset, stars shining three times as bright through the darkening sky.

And though my eyes are firmly on the sky, I can feel Edward's heavy gaze on me.

He walks me back to my room after Emmett leaves for the night. Edward starts up a light conversation comparing the constellations in the Leumin sky verses what he knew of Earth's. I was surprised by his very extensive knowledge, even more surprised when he sheepishly admitted to astrology being his main interest of study.

I didn't even know he was considered a scholar among his people.

"I will show you my favorite constellation, some time," Edward promises sweetly, melting a tiny part of my heart where he had slowly begun to burrow himself, replacing all the hurt he had caused with miniscule amounts of adoration.

In front of my door, Edward stops abruptly, pushing his fingers through his hair roughly.

His nervous gesture makes me pause. I tilt my head slightly as I listen to his low, hurried mumblings.

Suddenly, his shoulders straighten and he turns to face me fully, looking deep into my eyes.

"Goodnight, Bella."

And then his lips press softly against my cheek, his breath cool against my skin. They sear into me, warming my bones and blood from the inside and causing a flare up of heat in my face.

Edward disappears quickly, leaving me to stumble into my room, my hand gently touching where his lips had connected with my skin.

I feel the warmth of his lips as I sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: so, some questions answered, some new ones that are making you want to slam your head against your keyboard. i know. i'm all about half-clues.**

**recently, someone asked me in a PM how to say Leumin and Leumian. **

**Leumin is like _"ley-ooh-man"_ **

**Leumian is like _"ley-ooh-me-an"_**

**pretty simple. mostly because my creativity pretty much stops when i have to start making up names for species. i'm kind of lazy like that.**

**anyway, shout out to the first review of the last chapter, a dear reader called **_**Midnight Angels Say GoodNight **_**, who was eager to slap Edward. in fact, a lot of you wanted to harm him! - **_**celia azul**_**, **_**twivampchick **_**- and some of you wanted to give Bella hugs and advice - **_**telaviv **_**and **_**YesMyRealNameIsBella**_**. let me just tell all of you that you're reviews had me laughing and smiling for hours. **

**anways, as always, be brutally honest. i can take it!**

**~cupcakeriot**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight - I don't even want to! I do own some awesome ice cream to eat in the cold of winter. the irony kills you, right?**

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER FIVE<strong>

"_Stay where you are  
>Please don't break my heart<br>Love you in my daydream."_

_~Christina Perri_

Like the dawn, morning brings to light realizations that night had made soft, and gentle; glaring truths that I had chosen to ignore in the heat of the moment.

Edward should not have been allowed to kiss my cheek.

He should not have been able to bring me back to my room or lay be down on my bed – not after Rosalie had disabled his authorization.

I worked to harden my heart towards him, resisting the urge to expose myself to him completely. What had changed? And why was he there in the clearing when the King's men had tried to kidnap me?

Suspicion, which had been rising steadily in my gut, lodges itself into my throat. I needed answers.

After my morning bath, I find Edward is patiently waiting outside of my door to escort me to the morning meal.

Without much preamble, and with a steady flickering in my brain, I stand close to Edward, my brows furrowed and my mouth hard. "How did you get into my room?" I demand, fisting my hands at my sides.

Edward looks away, down the halls to ensure we are alone, his face too nervous to be truthful. "I'm not in your room; I'm standing outside of it."

"Don't play stupid, Edward. Yesterday, you were in my room. You got _me_ into my room."

Edward sighs, pushing his hands through his hair. "Fine! I know how to override the system, okay?"

"No, not okay. Don't do it again," I order, standing firm when his face flashes in outrage.

He struggles to control his facial expressions which are, admittedly, more bland that a humans as the Leumian lack all kinds of facial hair. I wondered if their entire bodies were as smooth and hairless.

"I said I would do anything-"

"You helped me, Edward. And I thank you for that. But I don't _trust_ you." I ignore the instant deflation of his face, the earnest expression fading, simmering below his skin as he realizes that I am serious. I bite the insides of my cheeks, glancing around the empty hall. "Why were you in the clearing?"

Edward very obviously calculates what he should and shouldn't tell me, the gears turning in his head and coming to a halt when my steely glare breaks through his thoughts. He sighs. "I overheard my father," he begins, turning to face the wall. "He had been suspecting, forcing the Healer to test the samples he'd taken when you were…ill." Edward's eyes rise to mine, the vibrant depths clear and hypnotizing in their truth. "I was trying to warn you. I swear."

I cross my arms over my chest.

He could have been telling the truth; I do recall him trying to make the Leumian men put me down. I accept his perspective, nodding slowly.

"What changed, Edward?"

His eyes close and he leans his face against the rounded wall. Speaking lower than I'd ever heard him, he mumbles, "I was wrong and I realize that, isn't that enough?"

"No. What changed?"

"I can't…"

Fighting the urge to scream out in frustration, I breathe deeply through my nose and let my fingertips graze the smooth skin of his arm. "Please, just…tell me what changed? Why do you accept me _now_?"

Edward's eyes are locked on my fingers, heat rising quickly in the teal irises. "I was lying to myself, Bella, when you first arrived. I wanted to hate you so badly and it was not you that deserved me ire. My father did, for arranging this mating. But even now - after what he has done, I cannot be completely angry with him - because he brought you to me. You have no idea how empty I've been, searching for you and not understanding why none of the Leumian females appealed to me." He pauses, turning to face me fully, restraining his hands from touching me. "I knew from the moment I saw you that you were meant for me. And I stupidly remained stubborn, wanting to deny the truth that I have a chemical reaction to you. I pushed you away when I could not stay away. I was struggling with my preconceived notions and the undeniable attraction I have to you.

"And then you got so sick. I thought it would be better if you were dead because I selfishly did not want to admit I was wrong about it all. If you were not here, then I would not have to struggle with myself, fighting my own thoughts with every step I took towards or away from you. My refusal only served to push you away. And for that, I will never be sorry enough," Edward whispers, his deep voice breaking. "I will do whatever it takes to win the rights to mate with you, by _your_ standards."

By the time he is done speaking, my throat is tight and my face is hot, my heart thumping painfully in my chest in response to his words. I clear my throat, holding my chin high to maintain my semblance of unaffected dignity. "I need time to think…But, you can start my always being truthful with me."

Edward nods solemnly. "I promise."

Silently, he holds his elbow out to me. I war with myself, not wanting to give in but also recalling the heat of his lips on my cheek. I can understand where he is coming from – fighting with himself over everything he did, not wanting to give into his attraction.

For me, I just didn't want to give in too soon.

The blatant truth in his rushed speech was so eye opening that I couldn't deny the urge to forgive him just a bit.

After all, I was confused too.

The whole situation would be confusing if he was an Earthling; there had to be some kind of learning curve between us.

I gingerly take hold of his elbow and allow him to escort me to the throne room. Upon arrival, Alice greets me with a particular enthusiasm, bouncing in her seat and stuffing her face with food

She is keeping a secret.

Her eyes glaze over for a moment before she turns to me, whispering in my ear. "You shall find out soon enough. Oh, it will be so _fabulous_."

Throughout the meal, I can feel the King's heavy gaze on each of my movements – he is studying me, making note of every breath I take, as if it will give away another hidden secret.

The Healer arrives after the meal is taken away. He seems flustered and tired, warily glancing at me as if I could set him on fire with a single glance.

Perhaps he thought I could.

He clears this throat, shuffling the small papers in his hands. "Sire, shall I give the results now or would you prefer a more private audience?"

The King opens his mouth to speak but the Queen calmly cuts in. "Here will be fine. There are no secrets in this family. Proceed."

And so, the Healer does, his voice quaking slightly. "Initial blood tests confirmed mixed DNA between a Leumian and a human. Upon further testing, it was confirmed that the subject's mother was Leumian." The Healer looks up from his papers, glancing nervously between the King and me. "The DNA testing revealed that the Leumian mother was Renee Skye-"

Immediately, all at the same time, the Leumian's at the table jump up and away, all baring fangs and hissing at me. All except for Alice – who is struggling against Jasper's tight hold – and Edward, who is crouched in front of me, his torso low between his long legs.

"She's not dangerous!" Alice screeches, clawing at Jasper's arm.

I sit completely still, my heart pounding in my chest, my mind totally frozen taking in the scene around me. Feral aliens eager to take my life – even Rosalie, who I am so tied to, though she seems to have reacted to the others, blindly following.

The King takes a measured step forward, pushing Esme behind him. I feel electricity rush down my arms, my body running on instinct, while Edward reacts instantly to the King's approach; claws flashing out, his body adjusting into a higher stance and a fearsome snarl ripping out of his chest.

"You will fall back," the King growls at him.

I swallow, intimidated by the beings surrounding me – aliens that could very easily kill me. And, it seemed, the majority wanted to.

But why? Who was my mother to cause such a reaction? In all of my memories, she seemed to be a gentle being – cherishing nature, teaching me to hide my second gift from my father.

She'd also lied to me, led me to believe she was human when she had known that she wasn't – known that she'd given birth to some Halfling that did not belong in either world.

Edward snarls again and I realize that he is larger than his father – taller, leaner, and younger. And more confident as he does not flinch away from his father's warning, his snarl simmering in his chest, a continual vibration.

Warmth fills me at his protection.

"Sire, if I may-"

The King growls again, the loud noise seemingly snapping Rosalie and the Queen out of their mindless stupor. "Speak, Healer," the Queen orders quietly, remaining behind her husband.

The Healer clears his throat again. "As I said, Renee Skye was the mother but the gene was not passed down to her offspring…just as the gene was not passed down to Renee. If I may, Sire, I theorize that the Emperor's curse was not genetic…"

The King lets the information sink in, slowly letting his steady growls die off in his chest. "I see," he says flatly, looking at me with cold eyes.

Appraising.

Judging for danger.

"I don't understand," I whisper, feeling my brows furrow as my body relaxes. Electricity migrates back up my arms.

Edward remains in his crouch, eyes hard, though his snarls have stopped completely. Jasper has released Alice, studying the room silently – observing, as he is prone to do.

"The Leumian history is a long one," Alice begins, cautiously walking forward, only to be thwarted by Edward as his snarls pick up again.

He was bent on protecting me, even though it seemed that he didn't need to anymore.

I had a feeling I wouldn't be able to stop him.

Alice rolls her eyes at Edward, raising her hands and stepping back; Edward relaxes, marginally, though he is still tense, his head roving with every breath he takes, searching for some threat. He didn't seem to be in control of his own mind.

Is this what the Leumian males did for their mates?

Did Edward truly see me like that? So soon?

He hadn't given me any new reason to doubt him.

"Leumian's have always been around," Alice continues, sitting on the floor across from me; Jasper stands to her side, ready to protect her if Edward starts freaking out again. "Since the planet was born, really. We were nomadic, of course, at the beginning of our time. Until Leumian's with special gifts emerged – like the psychics of the Earth. Some of these Leumian's could create fire and electricity while others, like me, could see the future or hypnotize other Leumian's. Within these ancient Leumian's, a clan arose. Your clan."

I find myself fascinated, completely absorbed in her tale – a story that sounds so familiar to me. Flashes of my mother putting me to sleep, telling me stories of a magical land, come to the forefront of my mind.

She told me this story at bedtime, though the details were now fuzzy.

"The clan was named after the sky after their abilities, which were far above the norm. As such, the clan was also looked to for leadership. Your clan ruled over Leumin for thousands of years, eventually becoming the Emperors and Empresses over the planet. Their word was law, enforced by the odd talents and abilities of their children. But, there came a time when a revolution was in order. You see, Bella, your mother's father ruled with a heavy hand, completely disregarding the limits of the technology and allowing pollutants into our atmosphere – toxic chemicals that reside in our clouds. The very clouds that poisoned you…

"The King's father challenged the Emperor's rule-"

"My father gave his life," the King interrupts. "Sacrificed his entire being to save what your grandfather had done."

I frown, glancing down at my hands, my fingers twisting together. "What was the _curse_?"

"The people call it a curse because it began to curse them. The Skye clan was dying out – their skin incredibly pale, their wombs barren. Children were rare. In fact, your mother was probably the last child born to the clan. Of course, the infertility was only half of the curse."

I raise my eyes to the Queen. "What was the other half?"

"The Emperor was bloodthirsty. Slowly, he was working through the Leumian population, draining the life force from bodies and leaving them to rot in his palace. And because the Emperor was the leader of Leumin, his clan began to feed on the Leumian's too. Until now, it was assumed the thirst was genetic…"

I close my eyes.

Thirsted for blood.

Drank the blood of his people.

No wonder they reacted to me in such a defensive way.

My presence here was nothing but a reminder of the suffering these aliens had gone through at the hands of my ancestors. I am the remains of a nightmare the Leumian's wished to forget.

"Excuse me," I choke out, standing and slipping past Edward who had remained crouched. As he had not been expecting my retreat, he stays frozen in his stance, realize too late that I am rushing down the halls as fast as my legs can carry me, searching for the nearest exit.

Too many thoughts are running through my mind – how did my mother get to Earth? And if she was supposedly barren, how am I here? Did her resistance of the thirst cause her disease on Earth?

I am able to focus on the burn of my legs and lungs as I race through the darkening forest, giant smoky black clouds quickly taking over the sky, hiding the stars from the midday sun.

The King is bitter, that much is clear – his father gave his life to stop my grandfather from inflicting too much more damage. I had a feeling I didn't want to know the details.

Did I have the potential hidden inside myself to become like the Emperor? Was there a thirst I hadn't noticed?

I collapse against the side of a large tree, massive, smooth leaves acting as a makeshift shelter as giant splashes signal the start of a rainstorm. The leaves sufficiently hide my body from the loud raindrops, thunder cracking in the sky and the clouds rapidly brewing above my head.

This is my first glimpse of the erratic Leumian weather pattern, the relatively gentle weather from before shrinking against what I am witnessing now.

The scant memories I have of my mother do not match the images induced by the recounted tale of the King's family – nor do they match the tale she had told me as a child.

In her version, the Emperor was very old, had always been sickly from childhood and the thirst was a desperate cure to prolong his life. The man from that tale depicted a pressured man that had been half-way out of his mind his whole life, abusive and compulsive not unlike Earthling alcoholics or drug addicts or children born with brain defects that could not be fixed by doctors.

And how did my mother arrive on Earth?

It wouldn't be a stretch of the imagination to assume she had escaped the turmoil her father had caused, easily passing for human with her colorless skin on Earth. Had she known what my father would become?

Could she have possibly planned _my_ future?

I pull my knees up to my chest and lay my head on my arms, willing my mind to slow down as I take deeper breaths.

I had never been in such a constant state of confusion. From everything Edward represented – a hope against hope that I never thought I would find someone that would accept me – to the danger I found myself in because of my _genes_.

Nothing here was simple.

Why couldn't I just be human, fully?

Why couldn't Edward have accepted me from the beginning?

I sigh. Had it not been for the poison of the clouds – ironically caused by my grandfather through some careless act, I'm sure – I would never have needed blood, which would never had lead to Edward refusing to save me, which wouldn't have tied me to Rosalie, which wouldn't have kicked Edward's mind into gear.

Where would we be now if not for these events?

My birthday is tomorrow.

I would be, according to Leumian traditions, old enough to mate.

Are we ready?

The history between our families was over, in my mind at least. I couldn't change the past. All I could do was show the King that I wasn't like the Leumian's who shared DNA with me and hope that he would eventually calm towards me.

Alice seemed confident that I wasn't a danger to the Leumian's – that I didn't have the curse that scared and enraged the King. A curse that, to me, seemed more like a sick man terrorizing the people he was supposed to govern.

Thunder roars through the sky, leaving the forest quiet for a moment after its wake – quiet enough that I can hear his _frantic_ voice calling for me.

If I had had any doubts that Edward was fully committed to earning his rights, any doubts that he cared for me, they were cleared in that moment.

He came out in this weather, probably at the ire of his father, to come searching for me, not long after confessing his attraction to me.

And it was so hard to fight against my feelings for him, in this moment especially. No one person – except for Yvette – had ever shown such concern and care for my wellbeing.

I couldn't even begin to explain my attraction to him; after what he's said and done and didn't do, it didn't make any sense for my heart to stutter at the sound of his name or for my body to heat under his gaze.

But it did. And I was growing tired of resisting what he was offering.

I didn't dare go near the thought that suggested Edward was in love with me. It was too soon even if I thought my own feelings were approaching that territory at a rapid pace.

Could Leumian's fall in love? Or did they only feel the draw to their mates? Perhaps it was the same thing.

"Bella!"

Thunder strikes again and I cringe, burying my head further into my arms. Why had I thought to run away outside? Of course, I wouldn't have been able to predict the weather – not even the Leumian's could – but surely this wasn't my brightest moment.

I hear my name again, closer; I can feel him coming closer though my eyes are clinched shut. I hadn't ever been afraid of thunderstorms on Earth, but there was such raw power in the flashes of lightening and ferocious bouts of thunder.

Strong arms wrap around me, pulling me against a large, hard chest. I shudder in his embrace, his head falling onto my shoulder, his fingers lightly gripping the tops of my arms. "It's dangerous out here."

I bite my lips. "Why?"

Edward sighs, settling himself against the trunk of the tree and pulling me onto his lap, careful to keep his arms tight around me. It's like he can't get close enough.

I wanted him further away and closer at the same time.

But hadn't he proven himself?

The sleek fabrics of his clothes are soaked, his hair hanging in his vibrant eyes as he studies my face carefully. "We can never know if the rain is toxic. The acid eats away at life when the water dries."

I frown. Another scar my grandfather has left on this beautiful planet. How many more would there be for me to discover?

Thunder cracks again; I jump and Strom secures me in his embrace. His body is cool, most likely from the drying water on his skin and clothes – and I wonder if Leumian bodies have a set temperature.

"There is a cave near by," Edward mumbles, looking away from me and out into the heavy rain before us. "We are too far away from the Palace to risk more exposure."

I have not time to agree or disagree as Edward stands with me in his arms, hunching his back to shield me from the rain. Warmth blooms in my chest at this gesture – he is making it so difficult to fight against. I could scarcely remember why I wanted to in the first place.

Edward knows the forest well, easily ducking under the low leaves of trees to shelter us from the rain until we reach a shallow cavern.

Though the rain is cool, the cave is warm – humid, even. The goose flesh on my arms and shoulders fade as Edward settles me in the back of the cave, farthest away from rain.

"You protected me," I tell him after we have been silent for a while, the moments passing into hours while the rain remains steady.

"Of course."

"You didn't have to."

Edward's eyes harden, his cat-like pupils narrowing into slits. "I want to. You're m-"

He cuts himself off, heat rising in his face.

"I'm what, Edward?" I can hardly keep the curiosity out of my voice.

"I was going to say that you're mine," he whispers, hazarding a glance at me. "But that's not true. Not yet."

I sit back, unaware that I had been unconsciously leaning towards him, drawn like a magnet though I was attempting to will him away.

_He thought of me as his_, I think to myself, observing the quiet rise and fall of his chest as he sits against the hard rock of the cave, his arms folding across his chest and his long legs stretching in front of me.

"I will be tomorrow," I say slowly, holding my eyes to his so he might see the truth that I am trying to show him.

Tomorrow, I would be _his_. In every sense of the word.

"But do you _want_ to be?"

The insecurity in his voice is stunning and humbling. For all of his height and mass, his physical and mental age isn't over twenty – he is still finding his way through his life, forming opinions and making decisions.

Did I _want_ to be his?

Yes. I do.

I stifle a gasp at my inner thoughts, unsure of how true they are as I had forced myself not to think them. I had wanted time – but did I really need it after the displays he had shown me? After his promises and his defending of my life to his feral family?

"Yes," I say, my voice quiet but ringing with truth in the middle of this torrential weather.

Edward stares blankly at me for a moment, his mouth softening into a twitching smile. "I'm glad," he says.

Lightening shoots across the sky, thunder cracks but we remain locked in our gaze. Drawn to each other.

Like magnets.

Slowly, we gravitate towards the other until my virtually curve-less front is pressed against the hard planes of his chest, his arms tight around my waist and our noses just inches from touching.

Edward moves his mouth to my cheekbone, pressing tender kisses down my cheek to the edge of my jaw to the corner of my mouth, careful to avoid the places I wanted to feel his steaming kisses – my neck, my lips, the place behind my ear that I had never paid much attention to.

My fingers move up to trace the bones of his face, strangely delicate under his smooth sun-kissed skin. High cheekbones, wide, slanted eyes, an angular nose, and a sharp jaw-line. His forehead was unmarred by hair, taking away from his expression but somehow adding to the purity of his emotions, which could be read in his teal eyes – eyes that are greener than blue in certain lights.

We explore each other's faces, never dipping below the jaw, as if through silent agreement.

There is static between us, but not tension.

No more tension.

Forgiveness is fresh around us – forgiveness from me as I had begun to understand where he was coming from, initially.

It was like a balm to my battered mind.

Several times, when Edward's kisses ventured to the corner of my jaw, right on the edge of my neck, I had felt the center of my brain zinging with electricity, gentle shocks running across the surface of my body. At those times, Edward's chest rumbles with a gentle laugh, evidently enjoying the slight sting.

"I'm sorry," I say, heat rising in my face.

"You smell different when that happens," he smiles, pressing his forehead against mine. "Sweeter. I like it."

My face burns, a smile spreading across my face.

Eventually, we are able to leave the cave, Edward insisting on carrying me as he didn't want me to step in the potentially dangerous puddles. I had protested but secretly sighed inwardly at the gesture – another sign that he had changed his thinking, enforcing my forgiveness.

I wasn't perfect, I knew. Everyone was entitled to make mistakes.

Even aliens.

"Oh, we were so worried!"

As the words leave Alice's mouth, Rosalie frowns apologetically at me. "I didn't mean to-"

"I know," I interrupt as Edward reluctantly let's me down.

"What did you do to that dress?" Alice cries in horror, circling me quickly and pushing Edward out of the way, forcing him to take a step back. He growls petulantly – if a growl could be petulant, that is. "It's like you've rolled around in the mud!"

"What time is it?" I ask, purposefully ignoring Alice's continued agonizing over the state of my dress. It hadn't even crossed my mind.

"Past the late meal," Rosalie answers, reaching for my hand to draw me away towards my room. "Alice _predicted_ your arrival so food is waiting in your room. Brother, you'll have to visit the kitchens."

Edward raises his chin to his sister before shooting me a smile.

I know that I will not see him until sometime tomorrow – in fact, that is guaranteed – but my heart still stings in protest as I watch him walk away.

As soon as Alice, Rosalie and I enter my room, I am pushed towards the washroom where a steaming bath had been drawn. I hadn't even noticed the faint chill in my fingers and toes.

My time in the bubbling water is interrupted – Alice has lined up several dress choices for me, all in varying shades of blue, silver and white, all different lengths and styles and all made of different fabrics. I eat juicy fruits in the water as Rosalie asks me questions about my time with Edward between Alice's enthusiastic presentations of dresses.

"So, you have forgiven him?"

I nod, biting into a fruit that was shaped like a strawberry but tasted like a pomegranate and that was the color of green grapes. "I _see_ him, now."

"See him?"

"Yes. His…goodness. His mind, almost. Mostly through his honesty. And what he did in the throne room."

Rosalie nods eagerly, grinning. "That was an impressive display. Some fully mated males don't even show that kind of mindless protection."

I take that in, letting it filter into the depths of my mind, as Alice brings in three more dresses, detailing her opinion of them.

"Which do you think I should wear? I've never been to a mating ceremony. I've never even been to a human wedding," I say, pursing my lips as I quickly dry off and don a black sleeping shift.

"I think you should wear _this_ one."

I study the detailing on the dress; truly, it was very beautiful and I had a good feeling about it. I tended to rely on my gut feelings.

"What should I expect tomorrow?"

Rosalie and Alice exchange a loaded glance.

"There will be blood," Rosalie begins, twisting her wrists significantly.

"And an enchantment, much like the vows on your planet. But that is only the ceremony. The real mating is finished in the chambers," Alice pauses thoughtfully. "In fact, this will be your last night in this room."

I swallow the sudden nerves at the implications of her words.

By this time tomorrow, I would be completely altered.

I couldn't find it in myself to parish at the thought.

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><p><strong>AN: so it took a lot longer, right? well, dears, i don't have an update schedule! if you were with me when i was writing Gods, you can attest to that; i was all over the place. but i write when it comes to me - sometimes, i can write ten pages in a day, other times, i can write ten sentences. that said, updates might be twice in one day, twice in a week or twice a month. thats just how it is! **

**shout out to **_**Midnight Angels Say GoodNight**_** for the first review in the last chapter - sorry i couldn't get this to you before first period!**

_**twivampchick**_**, **_**JLS0823**_**, **_**YesMyRealNameIsBella **_**and **_**berdb **_**for your enthusiastic reviews. in my head, i was giving all of you massive high fives!**

**as always, be brutally honest. i can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: i do not own Twilight; i don't even want to! i do own the right to warn you...LEMON ALERT!**

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><p><strong>CHAPTER SIX<strong>

"_I hope that you see right through my walls_

_I hope that you catch me, 'cause I'm already falling_

_I'll never let a love get so close_

_You put your arms around me and I'm home."_

_~Christina Perri_

Ordinarily, I woke up relatively groggy; my mind fuzzy from sleep but working to catch up to the here and now as my body bustled away, three steps ahead of my brain. I could recall times where I was already dressed and out the door before I fully realized what I was doing.

However, the morning of my mating ceremony to Edward, I woke up wide-awake.

And Alice buzzing around my room. "Oh, good, you're awake! Hurry and eat this."

I look down at the tray Alice pushes onto my lap, which is filled with strange fruits and meats. So far, all the food I had encountered on Leumian seemed relatively normal in Earth standards. The food sitting on my lap did not fit this description.

The fruit seemed to be seeping red juice, creating puddles in the tray that bled into the oddly shaped – and colored – meat. "What is this?"

Alice pauses in what she was doing and shrugs. "You will need those nutrients for the day. They are high in iron."

"Iron?"

"From the blood loss of the ceremony and mating."

I nod absently, feeling incredibly silly for failing to realize the obvious. Hadn't they told me not ten hours ago that most of the mating rituals were primarily blood-based?

"Hurry!" Alice says excitedly, bouncing in place. "We have much to do before midday."

Quickly, I eat – surprised by the rich and delicious flavors of the exotic foods. I truthfully didn't want to know what I was eating lest the bubble be burst. As soon as I was done eating, Alice whisked away the tray and replaced it with a tall glass of a thick, smoothie-like drink. I drank it without question, marveling again at the sweet taste but, again, not wanting to know the ingredients.

Alice pushed me into the washroom with a laser device meant to remove hair – and though I had always been rather scant in body hair, I understood the reasoning behind the laser razor. After today, I would be considered a Leumian Princess and it was clear, at this point, that Leumian's did not have hair on their bodies – except for their heads. I hadn't seen any trace on Ray, Alice, or Edward, for that matter.

The cool sting of the laser on my arms, under arms and legs draws my mind away from the events that would occur in the very near future; and the nervousness that accompanied the impending hours.

But the mindless activity drew my attention to a slight problem - the very human hair near my pubic bone.

Did Leumian women laser shave?

Did they even _have_ pubic hair?

I make a quick decision and hope that I made the right one.

The bath that Alice draws for me is a mixture of complicated oils and scents that I soak in for an hour, the light smells of oranges and blossoms and other fruits seeping into the pores of my skin. My hair is washed with similar scents, leaving my entire person feeling and smelling similar to flower petals dipped in fruit juices.

Alice dries my hair, leaving it to curl and wave around my face naturally and then assists me into my dress.

The bodice is boned and flat, flaring towards my chest from my waist and making my chest appear more full than it really is – pushing my small breasts up and together, creating enticing cleavage where there was none. The organza-like fabric covering the dress is some shade between silver and blue, carefully crafted flowers made from the same material scattered over the bodice, growing larger the further away they are from the top of the dress. Eventually, the smooth fabric becomes long, loose layers that trail behind me in a rounded train as I walk around the room, becoming used to the feel of the dress. The way in which the bodice is constructed leaves the majority of my back bare and my shoulders naked.

In this dress, I feel truly beautiful.

While I knew I was pleasant to look at, the feeling of beauty and contentment, flowing through my body was foreign.

I found that I liked it.

The shoes I wear are simple, much like the gladiator sandals the ancient Romans wore to battle, though mine are much smaller and more smooth.

Alice paints my lips a deep red, the smooth color coming from a mixture of red fruits and berries. It doesn't escape my notice how rare the idea of make-up is to the Leumian's, as I hadn't seen any females wearing unnatural colors on their skin.

Just as I am about to ask why I was wearing the color on my lips, Alice smiles slightly at me. "Leumian tradition. It is mean to represent the life force that you are exchanging today. The stain of the berries will be left on your mate's skin, to show that he is taken by you, just as his scent will stain the blood of your body. Though, you're mark will fade."

I nod, fighting against the blood rushing into my face. "Could I ask you a question?"

"You always do," she smiles, sitting across from me on the floor, her legs folded neatly under her own light violet dress, a few shades darker than her own skin.

I bite the inside of my cheek, conscious that I could not bite my lips without messing up the berry paint. "How would mating between Edward and I…I'm only half-"

Alice interrupts me with a laugh. "Are you afraid your sex organs won't match up?"

The blood staining my cheeks is answer enough because Alice continues, a laugh just barely suppressed in her trilling voice. I hadn't ever felt the need to be embarrassed about sex – until reaching Leumin it hadn't ever seemed like a possibility. Now, it was a glaring one.

"Bella, you are half-Leumian. I'm sure you are more than compatible with Edward, in many ways. But, from what I know of Earthling male and female anatomy, the Leumian body is fairly similar."

I feel myself sigh in relief, not even aware I was so worried about it. It was weight off my chest to know that when Edward and I completed our mating, I wouldn't be surprised by his body.

That wouldn't be how I wanted to start our marriage – our mating.

"That's good," I say.

"Oh, it will be," Alice tells me, standing up and smoothing out her dress. She grins cheekily at me, flashing ultra sharp and white teeth with a wink.

She moves to stand behind me after checking my lips again.

"I want to thank you," I say, grabbing her attention away from fidgeting with my dress and hair. "For yesterday, I mean. I realize that you risked your life to speak up..."

"Bella, I have a gift that not many can claim. The future I see is set in stone. You are not dangerous, no matter what _anyone_ tries to tell you."

She shoots me a significant look and I immediately understand.

No matter what the _King_ said, I was not a danger.

I bite back the bitter smile that threatens to take my face. How long would the King fall back to the pressure of his family? I was sure that, had it not been for the Queen, Rosalie and Edward, the mating ceremony would be canceled or I would be dead.

They could only protect me for so long.

It was just a matter for when the last shoe would drop.

Alice makes me wait in my room for another our, adding layer after layer of berry stain until I am sure my mouth is bright red.

And then, without looking at a time watch or even out the windows, she walks to the door, opening it and waving me forward. "It's time."

I had thought that the nerves would get worse as the time approached, but as I walked out of the room, my mind was completely at ease, my body relaxed.

I felt like I had been waiting for this day my entire life.

It was a starling realization but one I find comfort in.

I follow Alice down the rounded hallways, passing the throne room and coming to a large set of old, marble doors. The hallways had been curiously empty of people, silent except for the occasional swish of fabric from my dress and the soft patters of our shoes.

The door opens.

And my heart stops.

This day would mark significant things in my life; the end of my first week on Leumin and the first day of my mating with Edward. I couldn't be stunned with how quickly the situation between Edward and I had progressed – even when he was at his worst, I couldn't deny the draw to him.

This is where I am meant to be.

By his side.

The room is scented heavily with incense – musky and soothing, spicy and sweet – with petals of exotic flowers littering the floor. The ceiling is covered with draping fabrics in vibrant colors and the sides of the rounded walls are lit with candles, adding to the ambiance of the room.

Edward waits beside an older Leumian male with deep green skin, kind eyes and a smooth head covered in a tall, pure white cap. The man is dressed in white robes that resemble the robes of ancient Popes on Earth.

Edward smiles gently at me, his eyes drinking me in – my body flashes hot as his eyes linger on my lips hungrily.

I didn't think I would ever see so much lust directed at _me_.

I feel my body yearning to be closer to him but as I take a step forward, Alice stops me, mouthing that I am to approach him slowly before she leaves, closing the door behind her.

Restraining my steps is difficult as I want nothing more than to run towards him, but I measure my walk, counting to three in between steps.

Already, I feel that I am in a wedding – which, I suppose this is. There are no witnesses except for the Leumian Pope, whom I'm sure isn't called a Pope.

I sense no regret, no hesitation in myself as I stand in front of Edward.

The man introduces himself as the High Priest and dives right into the ceremony, murmuring low words in the obscure Leumian tongue.

I fall into a sense of peace, my eyes locking onto Edward's as the High Priest's words wash over us. Edward, too, cannot seem to take his eyes from mine.

The words grow louder, filling the room, as the High Priest raises a crystalline goblet between us, handing a smooth curving knife to Edward.

Removing his eyes from me, Edward makes a slit above his wrist, thick purple blood dripping into the waiting goblet. He does not wince from the knick of the knife nor as the wound begins to close itself.

The knife is handed to me and, for a moment, I panic.

Until I see the longing in Edward's eyes.

Quickly, before I can hesitate any longer, I cut my wrist, stunned that it is virtually painless and relatively easy – the blade is light and smooth, slicing my skin like butter. My blood mixes into the cup much faster than Edward's and when the right amount is in the goblet, the High Priest efficiently wraps my wrist in the same cloth his robes are made from.

Without stirring the blood, the High Priest begins singing the words instead of speaking them, a pattern of a melody forming, resonating through the room as Edward lifts the goblet to his mouth.

His eyes close, as if in pleasure, as he drinks our combined essences.

Then, before I realize what has happened, I am also drinking from the goblet, surprised at the sweetness filling my mouth – most likely from Edward's blood, as I knew human blood was rich in iron and salt, like old currency.

As I swallow, a sense of wholeness fills me – warming me from the inside out and clouding over my mind.

I feel so dazed.

The rest of the ceremony passes quickly, in a flash.

And then Edward is leading me out into the hallway – the empty hallway, completely scarce of any form of life.

My eyes are glued on Edward's form and I find myself quite happy about it. I can't even imagine wanting to look at anything or anyone else for the rest of my life.

In the back of my mind, I realize that my haze must be a reaction from drinking his alien blood, but I take comfort in the fact that Edward, too, seems just as dazed. I'm surprised we arrive at his room without incident or accident because he refuses to look away from me.

I do not notice much about his room, other than the walls are dark, as are the furniture and the decorations and that his windows are firmly covered by sleek coverings.

Edward's lips meet mine gently after the door is closed and some code is typed into a keypad beside the door.

His hands are light on the back of my neck, coaxing my head closer to his as he bends nearly at the waist to continue kissing me. We linger in this embrace, becoming familiar with each other's lips and tongues. His taste is phenomenal, addicting and lingers in my mouth as he pulls away to let me breathe.

I gasp into the quiet room as his lips nip and pull at the tender skin at the edge of my jaw – my body trembles, begging for more attention as feelings foreign to me become the center of my focus. I am barely away of my skin zinging lightly with electricity as one of Edward's hands moves down the back of my neck to rest at the base of my spine.

He pulls my body close to his, my hips pressing against his as my body bows backwards so that our chests remain in contact.

I know where this is leading.

And I want it, so badly.

These types of feelings – cravings – had never been present in my mind.

But I liked them.

My fingers twitch, twisting into Edward's hair and tugging gently, eliciting a smooth purr from deep in his chest.

I shudder in response.

His lips move down to my neck, lingering on the skin at the juncture of my neck and shoulder. He sucks on this skin, essentially marking me as his – something everyone would see because Leumian women showed off their necks and shoulders.

I would wear his mark – this mark – with pride.

His hands move again, large enough to completely wrap around my waist, tugging gently on the fabric of my dress.

Edward removes his lips from my skin, pressing his forehead to mine and gazing at me imploringly. "How do we get it off?"

I blink, waiting for my mind to process his question.

And then, in answer, I motion to pushing down the dress.

With Edward's help, the dress is in a soft puddle at my feet and I am completely naked, standing before him with only the berry stain on my lips covering my skin.

He groans, his eyes wide and mouth partially opened.

His sharp incisors have grown larger, like fangs, the tip of the teeth a fine, sharp point pressing into his bottom lip.

Almost as if he can't control himself, his hands lift to my shoulders, caressing the skin gently until his palms cover my chest. In response, my nipples pebble – not from the general coolness of his hands, but from arousal so acute I can feel it between my legs.

His palms put pressure on my nipples, rubbing slowly as his fingers softly grip and fondle. I had always thought that I was not well endowed but, in comparison to Leumian women, my chest is ample – and a clear distraction. His palms are replaced by his finger, which are nimble enough to blindly tweak and pinch the sensitive skin while his lips begin to follow the same path his hands had taken.

Edward kneels before me, his mouth level with my chest, his eyes roving over my skin while one hand skims down my stomach and around the slight curve of my hips.

Wet heat envelops my right areola, the left still being played with by his fingers, while my fingers tighten in his hair. Oddly, Edward's mouth is frighteningly warm in relation to the undefined temperature of his skin.

Soon, I am moaning softly as Edward's fingers trace the ultra smooth skin of my pubic bone – the skin that had been covered by hair not five hours ago. Judging by the positive reaction – Edward muffles another groan and switches nipples – I was sure I had done right in laser shaving the hair off my body.

His fingers, long and thicker than human fingers, dip into the wetness between my legs, sliding easily around. When his finger passes over my clit, causing literal sparks to fly through my body, I have no hope of stopping the loud moan that passes through my throat.

Edward stops.

He stands.

And I whimper as he lifts me into his arms and walks me towards the back of his large room, his lips connected to mine in a wet kiss that completely clears my mind.

The bed hovers close enough to the floor that Edward can place me on it.

He does not hesitate to shed his clothes, revealing his stunning body to me without another thought.

And I gasp again.

Because there is no way he will ever be able to fit _in_ me.

I wasn't familiar with the average size of human men, but it was obvious that Edward surpassed that measurement.

Far surpassed it.

His body is lean and lanky, chiseled artfully with strong chords of muscle, his chest bare of nipples but decorated with one small belly button.

It is the thick roping, thorny black lines marking his skin – from the tops of his shoulders, down his arms and legs and around his stomach – that make my gaze linger longer than is strictly necessary.

His birth markings say much about him – his strength, his barriers and walls, his complicated mind.

But they do not frighten me away.

If anything, I want to run my tongue over each tattoo-like mark.

Edward moves to lay beside me, the bed rising automatically when he settles beside me, his eyes firmly attached to mine as his lips claim me again.

His fingers return to my center, flicking against the sensitive nub hidden between my lips until my legs fall open and I am panting.

Smugly, Edward smiles and trails his lips down my stomach and to my center.

There, he spends time exploring, pressing his fingers inside of me, stretching me and, after much thought on his part, breaking through my virginity. His tongue is constantly moving, quickly bringing me to a brink I didn't even know existed.

And when I am still shuddering from that high, he begins to push into me.

Slowly.

Leisurely.

His mouth parting and his eyes locking with mine, pants coming from his strong chest.

When he is fully inside of me, his hips pressed tight to mine, he kisses me sweetly, licking at the tears on my face from the uncomfortable stretching he is causing.

"My mate," Edward whispers.

And then he begins to move, barely moving in and out – just lightly pumping his hips, allowing his pubic bone to rub against mine.

Immediately, tingles shoot through my body.

He brushes up against every crevice inside of me when he really begins to pick up a pattern, his hips swiveling with his thrusts and his hands tightly clenching the cloth covering his bed.

Moaning, my hips lift to meet his and I press my mouth to the crevice of his neck.

Edward muffles his own sounds against my shoulder, his fangs scraping against my skin in time with the accelerated pumps of his hips.

"Bite me," he rasps out, clenching his eyes shut for a moment.

"What?"

He answers after a particularly firm thrust. "To complete the mating. Bite me. Now."

I do not hesitate a moment longer, my breath coming quicker than I can catch it as my body begins to burn and trembled from the inside. As hard as I can, I close my teeth into the skin of his neck, his blood filling my mouth with overwhelming sweetness, triggering the single most intense experience of my life.

In the same moment, his fangs sink into the flesh of my shoulder and he roars out against my skin.

My body feels weightless as I come, feeling the intense warmth filling my womb from Edward's climax.

As we both stop shuddering, we lick the small amount of blood from each other's skin, Edward's tongue seeming to heal the mark of his fangs.

He rests his weight on me for a moment, holding me close before he rolls to the side, pulling me on top of him, his hands soothingly rubbing against the skin of my back.

I spot the stain of the berries on his neck and smile, pressing my cheek against his marked chest, feeling more calm and _happy_ that I ever had in my life.

His fangs have receded and he seems to be particularly sated.

"My mate," Edward whispers again, pride filtering into his voice.

"Mine," I reply, pressing a kiss to his chest as he pulls me closer and secures us under the warmth of a fur blanket.

We fall asleep quickly, rightfully exhausted.

And when I wake, Edward is pressed against my backside, his hardness pressing into my body. He takes me like that, pressing my front into the mattress and keeping my legs closed as he forces himself into the tight crevice of space that is available, stroking me from deep inside and drawing both of us to quick, powerful climaxes.

By this time, I assume the day on Leumin has completely passed.

But I am grimy from sweating and insist of bathing.

I am able to get a good look at his room – dark blue and black walls interspersed with golden furs on the floors and acting as blankets on his alcove couches.

"You hunt?"

Edward nods sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head as he starts a bath, bending over and showing me a part of his anatomy I had missed.

It turns out that his birth markings run over his firm backside, also.

"It is a lucrative hobby. I am able to donate furs to our tribes and meat to the hungry families. The furs in the room are from big game."

"Prizes?"

Edward kisses me on the nose and helps me into the bath, pulling me against his chest and resting his chin on my shoulder. "Prizes," he confirms. "Did you have many hobbies on Earth?"

I frown, finding his hands in the water and playing with his fingers. "My hobby was to hone my abilities. I'm still working on it."

"What is it like? Lifting metals with your mind? Shocking people?"

"I suppose it's much like lifting metal with your arms," I say, leaning back more firmly on his chest. "I can grasp onto the magnetic field of the metal, no matter how small, and manipulate the gravity around it so it…lifts. It's hard to explain but it's so normal to me. Like breathing. As for the shocking, I don't like using it." I glance at him, his eyes bright as he absorbs information. "Though, with you, I can't seem to stop."

"I like the stings," he tells me, tightening his arms around me for a moment. "Did I tell you that you smell sweeter when it happens?"

"You did."

"Then would you like to know a secret?"

I feel my brows rise. He was being playful.

Though that, too, was foreign, I found that I liked it.

"Hmm?"

Edward kisses my neck. "It smells similar to your arousal."

My face flames and I close my eyes.

"That also smells similar to your arousal."

I cough out a gasp, trying to push the rare blush off my face.

Edward laughs, pressing his fingers into the muscles of my back, working out the tiny knots of soreness that had developed from our activities. I moan, leaning towards the water.

His fingers begin to trace my spine and random spots on my back. He makes an amused sound.

"What?"

Again, his fingers trace the same pattern. "You also have Leumian birth markings."

"No, I don't," I say, knowing that I do not have intricate tattoo-like patterns anywhere on my body.

"Yes, you do. Little spots."

"You mean freckles."

I can almost hear him shake his head. "No, they are in lines," he says, tracing a line diagonally across my back, the tip of his finger running a smooth curve at the base of my neck. "Lines and curves."

I feel myself smiling slightly. "I suppose that's another example of my mixed heritage."

"It is," Edward agrees, rubbing soapy hands on my skin.

We do not leave the bath without another set of planet-shattering climaxes.

I am surprised by my own comfort with our naked bodies, but I figure it is because I have never had a reason to be self-conscious about excess body fat or my figure. Of course, I knew that I was relatively without curves, but my body was lean and tight. I truthfully had nothing to worry about.

And Edward certainly liked what he saw, even going so far as to confirm my suspicions about Leumian breast size.

He thought that they were definitely a benefit to my hybrid status.

I thought that my being on Leumin was the only benefit I needed.

Sighing in content, safe in Edward's arms, I fall into a deep sleep.

But my dreams are haunted with my worries.

And my father's face.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: alright so...that's that. i'm not so great at lemons (this is like, my fourth one) so...**

**anyway, it has come to my attention that you guys are reading the name STROM in some of the chapters. this is human error on my part and i'm sorry! Edward's original character name is Storm and, because i'm me and i get excited when i write and i start typing too fast, i misspelled Storm...if you come across STROM again, just uhh, replace it with Edward. if i had a beta, i'm sure errors like this wouldn't happen but as it is, the computer is my grammar/spelling/replacing beta and Lucinda (my computer) does a damn good job. **

**before you ask and or point it out that i can have a beta, i don't **_**want **_**one. why? delayed posting time. and nobody wants that!**

**shout out to the first review of the last chapter, **_**cbmorefie **_**; i call you one of my "Regulars" in my head because you pretty much review every chapter!**

**notable mentions to, **_**berdb **_**(you totally got Carlisle), **_**JLS0823 **_**(i hate when they run away, too!), **_**universalbeat **_**(i shoot for over the moon!) and **_**YesMyRealNameIsBella **_**(i aim to satisfy! and thanks for the pimping - do you get a cut of the money?).**

**on another note, i got a review that said "**_**damn Bella is f***ing annoying**_**" (you know who you are). well, reader, nobody told you that you had to read and, honestly, if you have a problem with my Bella, then tell me in a PM so we won't have to make this public, next time. i'd much rather learn about **_**why **_**she's annoying than reading a vulgar review. constructive criticism and all that. **

**so, with a facepalm in response to that review, i'll sign off! i'm cold and its snowing snowing snowing!**

**as always, be brutally honest (in a constructive way *coughcough*). i can take it (and dish it out).**

**~cupcakeriot**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: i do not own Twilight - i don't even want to! i do want to own a few good hours of sleep!**

* * *

><p>CHAPTER SEVEN<p>

"_So tell me who's making these rules  
>And if you like to break rules too<br>'Cause if you do then baby I'm following."_

_~Christina Perri_

**Edward**

My mate startles awake, her heartbeat loud in the quiet of my chambers, the breath in her breast stuttering as tiny bumps break out across her fuzzy skin. Her entire tiny body trembles in a fine vibration.

I was not as familiar with human sleep patterns as I should be – was this a normal, nightly occurrence?

Something I would have to look forward to every night?

The vibration against me was…interesting, after all.

"Bella?"

Her little naked body tenses in the protective caging of my body; I am wrapped tightly around her, my legs holding hers close and my arms crossing over her chest.

Wanting to comfort her, I press my lips against the skin of her delicate neck where I had sunk my fangs into the membrane, where her fragrance from the traditional bridal bath is the strongest.

She smells intoxicating.

She smells like me.

And our mating.

Musky and sweet and arousing.

My mate seems to relax in my embrace, which brings me great relief and pleasure. I had feared that our joining would frighten her, but she responded to it well.

She seemed to enjoy it greatly.

She barely even hesitated when the time to bite had come.

Perhaps she is more Leumian than she thinks.

Though she has relaxed some, she continues to faintly tremble every few moments.

"Are you ill?" I ask fearfully, my mind flashing to the horrible memories from her first days on Leumin – so sick she was dying.

Could she sustain her life on my planet? Would I always worry about losing her to whatever poisons her half-human body could not tolerate?

"Nightmare," she murmurs, pressing closer to my chest.

I frown, unfamiliar with the term. I thought humans _dreamt_ while their eyes are closed. "What is a nightmare?"

Bella shifts in my arms, turning in the tight hold I had on her to face me, her hands splayed across my chest. "It's a bad dream."

My frown grows deeper. Dreams had morals and virtues – they could be considered good or bad?

Humans are strange.

But her oddities are endearing.

I inhale her scent again, faltering on how to deal with the particular emotions the slight aura around her body is indicating. I had seen her with flame colored red rage and clear blue concentration and yellow confusion and even pleasure purple passion.

The dark blue hovering around an inch away from her skin was new – something I had not ever seen a Leumian with this color either.

Of course, all Leumian can sense auras, though Bella had never indicated this latent talent.

Then again, she seemed to have enough talents to worry about.

The shocking – though that was more arousing to me than anything.

And the control over metal.

I clear my mind and throat. "Do you want to talk about it?" I ask, unsure of my question in that I was sure she did _not_ want to talk about it.

But Bella _did_ seem to like honesty. And talking.

And being quiet.

She is unlike anything I have ever seen.

Better and so much more than anyone I had ever met.

Bella sighs, her warm breath tickling my skin. "It was just my father's face. Something is wrong, I think. Or _will_ be wrong. I'm not that kind of psychic, though, so I don't know. It's just a gut feeling."

I could sympathize about feeling unease with one's father.

My own father seemed to be planning something, I think.

I could be paranoid.

Or not.

What mattered now was to keep Bella safe.

And now that we are fully mated, our blood mingling together between two bodies, I would be able to protect her.

Forever.

I run my hand down the length of her smooth back, her skin so soft under my hand. My fingers curl over the pronounced curve of her hip and I pull her closer to my body so that our hips are aligned.

My body feels tense.

Taut with excitement.

I want her again.

And probably more after that.

"But I don't think there's anything to talk about," Bella continues, her voice filled with air. Breathy.

I like the sound.

I want to hear it again.

Constantly, really.

I wonder if she is capable of making more Leumian-type sounds; the hisses and purrs of the female population of Leumin.

I think perhaps she can.

The sounds she made last night were similar.

The moans.

The higher pitched sounds.

All of them amazing, fascinating, in their own right.

And then her aura shifts to purple and I can feel my body responding, pressing insistently against hers.

Full lips press against my birth markings, trailing up to my neck; I roll onto her body, pressing her against my warm bed and shifting my hips against hers until I am gliding against the fragrant slickness between her thighs.

So wet.

And warm.

And _mine_.

A growl grows in my chest.

My fangs grow.

Bella gasps.

I pull my body away, ripping my lips from the smooth skin of her neck. "Are you hurt?" I can barely contain the panic invading my body – she is so fragile compared to me, so easily breakable.

And I am not so breakable.

What if I had hurt her last night without realizing it?

I had never been with another.

I wouldn't have realized if I caused her an unusual amount of pain.

Would she have let me know?

Bella shakes her head insistently, pushing on my chest until I fall into the pressure of her hands, my back resting on my bed. "I can deal with it."

I swallow.

I am aroused by her forceful tone, amused that I find her stubborn, quiet qualities so endearing.

She is truthfully perfect for me.

And I am especially glad that she had the grace to accept me after my atrocious mistakes when she moves to straddle my waist.

She is pressed against the most sensitive part of me.

Driving me mad with arousal.

Lust.

I feel my fangs push against the skin just under my bottom lip as my hands come to rest on her hips as she grabs hold of me; so very slowly, with a small sigh of relief, I think, Bella lowers herself onto me.

Taking me in.

Accepting me.

Gripping me.

Warm, wet fragrance encasing me tightly, fluttering around me as small puffs of gentle pink rises in Bella's cheeks.

Exquisite.

Her breasts are milky pale, like the rest of her body, but firm and soft and larger than other Leumian women – just the perfect size of my hands as I reach up to trace the full curve of her chest.

So soft.

So smooth.

Bella moves her hips slightly, wiggling on top of me – left, right, front, back, in a small circle, in a fluid random movement. It all feels amazing, even more so as she leans forward to capture my lips with hers; something humans seemed to like to do.

Typically, Leumian's did not kiss.

There was no need to, as we exchanged blood.

But I had no problem kissing my Bella.

It was very enjoyable.

Her soft mouth pressed against my own.

Stroking my fangs gently.

Nipping at my mouth.

Slowly, we set a pace that draws out our pleasure, my hips rising up to meet hers on her down, circling motion.

Flesh meeting flesh.

Smooth, moist sounds coming from where our bodies are mingling.

Constant sparks of pleasure.

Clenching that milks me, sparks shooting down my spine and around my skin.

My damp mate collapses in a seemingly boneless heap on top of me, our bodies still intimately attached.

Leaving me still where I long to remain.

For as long as I am able.

I revel in the close contact, simply content to have her in my arms after our mating.

The humans called it _cuddling_.

I find that I quite like it.

Before I even realize it, Bella is sitting up and away from me, her eyes wide. "Am I going to get pregnant?" she blurts, her eyes positively worried.

Her face is so expressive.

So alive.

I feel my chest shaking in laughter before the noise reaches my ears. "No," I manage to say.

She was adorable in her sudden concern.

"Oh."

I tilt my head. "Do you _want_ to be?"

"I don't know," she whispers, looking down and away from me.

How curious.

A female who did not know if she wanted to bare a child.

It must be the more human side of her.

I inhale her scent again. "You won't have to worry about it for another month."

The perfect lines of dark hair above her eyes furrow. "What?"

"Leumian females can only get pregnant during heat."

The color of her face pales significantly. "Heat?"

I frown, trying to understand her reaction.

It did not seem healthy that her face should become that shade.

It is then that I remember humans do not have a heat cycle – but, based on her scent, Bella's was only a month or so away. Maybe less because she is human.

Bella is nodding, a far away look in her eyes as she moves off me.

I miss the contact instantly.

She did not need to move.

I frown and reach for her smooth skin, more than ready to practice before her heat comes on.

"Will you show me your stars today?"

I pause, my fingers just barely grazing her tiny waist, and look out the window – we have slept for a very long time as the sun is past its high point. But the weather seems agreeable.

I smile and kiss her hand, looking into her light eyes. "Of course,"

Did she know I would do anything she asked of me?

Reluctantly, I allow my mate to separate from me so that we may get dressed. Bella bathes quickly but the scent of our mating is still ripe on her skin.

A possessive part of my mind gloats with glee – every male that passes her will know who she belongs to.

And how _much_ she belongs to me.

And what we have _done_.

My mate dons a deep cobalt dress, the neck high but her shoulders and back bare as the hem grazes the tops of some dark slouchy knee-high boots.

Only an inch of the pale skin of her leg is visible.

Enticing.

I want her in my bed when I see her, the dark blue of the dress dramatically making her skin more creamy, her eyes more blue and her lips redder. Her dark, short hair is in messy wavy lengths – she looks so desirable.

I almost did not want to let her outside.

But that would be selfish.

And my mate's wants now came before my own.

As they should.

Unlike yesterday, where the hallways of the palace were cleared in respect to our ceremony, we are cheered by Leumian servants and citizens, their cheerful calls loud with excitement. Royal mating ceremonies were rare and the population of the planet had a certain fascination with seeing the newly mated couples, though the ceremony itself was private.

Bella's face is stained with the pink shade again as several women drop to the ground, bowing before her in hopes to gain favor. As a royalty, Bella is now entitled to pick a maid that might help her dress or deliver messages.

I have a feeling, though, that Bella would decline a maid's services.

Once we make it outside the palace, Bella breathes out a sigh of relief.

It seems that she does not like great amounts of attention.

I file that away for later inspection – perhaps I could make her life more private.

She might like that.

"Where are you taking me?" she asks, a small laugh in her voice.

I like her laugh.

It reminds me of the summer moons lining up.

And of the small noise she makes when my hand grazes a spot on her stomach.

Light and airy.

"I thought you might like to see the sea up close," I tell my mate, imagining her shredding her boots and wading into the clear water, playing with the bright corals and sea life.

Her face lights up.

She smiles with her teeth.

My mate is easy to please when I am not making mistakes.

Like all Leumian, it seems that she enjoys nature.

I think she would especially like the _luka_ – millions of small, rainbow colored fish that breed in the colorful corals and are notoriously playful.

Children have always enjoyed playing with them.

And my mate needed to be carefree like a child.

We make it to the white sand beach while the sun is still bright in the sky. Bella had walked beside me wide-eyed through the dense forest, her fingers gently touching the large green leafs of our tall trees and the smooth bark of our trees, the tall grasses and large, blooming flowers growing from rocks and roots.

Before we stand on the sand, Bella insists on taking off her shoes, explaining quietly that she had never been to Earth beaches.

This was appalling to me, though it should not have been.

It was a well-known fact that humans had almost killed their planet. Perhaps Earth beaches were non-existent, now.

Bella seemed to cherish the life of Leumin.

Another reminder of her hybrid blood running through her veins.

Another example of why she is absolute perfection for me.

A chilling wind blew from the south, fluffing her skirt around her hips, and I find comfort in the fact that the dark cape around my neck will be able to shelter her delicate skin when the weather changes.

And it will.

Soon.

That is the way of Leumin – quick, often violent, weather changes in between calm periods.

Unpredictable.

And a threat to my half-human mate.

The cape around my neck is made with a special Leumin fabric that keeps the body cool and warm and provides shelter from acidic rain, should that happen again.

I would give it to Bella in the small seconds between her heartbeats if she needed it.

Bella leaves my side, dipping her tiny toes – five of them, where Leumin have four – into the clear water, her skin the same shade under water as it is in the sun. I smile at her startled yelp.

The water on Leumin is very, very cold. Not that any Leumian would notice it; we do not process temperature in the same way that humans do. We are neither cold nor hot in our cores.

It seems that my mate takes on another human quality.

"It's so cold!" she says, her eyes huge and accusatory.

Should I have warned her?

I falter for a second.

Instead of demanding an answer from me, Bella asks another question. "Is the water ever warm?"

I feel my shoulders shrugging. "Leumian does not have seasons. It is erratic all year long."

Bella begins to ask several quick questions about Leumin and I struggle to keep the smile off my face.

My mate is interested in my planet.

Her planet.

I answer every question she has as she wades deeper into the ocean, the water licking at her slim calves. The _luka_ surround her feet, helping Bella keep her balance in the random waves rising on the tide.

Bella giggles when the _luka_ tickle her skin.

I grin and hold my arms out when Bella dashes out of the water.

Her small weight hits my chest.

And I hold her as close as I can, her body so much warmer than my own.

She is mine.

Bella shivers against my chest.

Hastily take the cape from around my neck and settle it around her narrow shoulders, hiding all of her skin in dark material that ends halfway to her ankles.

On me, the cap falls to my thighs.

She is so much smaller.

Nearly everything about my mate screams for her fragility and need to be protected – her size, her beauty, and the fragility of her body.

Bella can also defend herself.

She did not need me.

But she seemed to _want_ me.

That is enough for now.

We leave the cooling beach, the sun moving down lower as the winter moon, Solistia, wakes from her slumber. Soon, the summer moon, called Esterlie, will join her.

And then we can watch the stars.

"Edward."

I look down at my tiny mate, her searing hand wrapped up tightly in mine.

A human gesture that I enjoy.

"Would we be able to see the Skye clan's palace?"

I do not pause my measured stride though I am shocked at her request. Of course, I know where it is as it is frequently visited as a reminder of the past.

Before I can jump to conclusions, I remind myself that Bella has been showing an interest in my home.

I would not be the one to halt that interest.

So, I change our course and we move further into the valley; the trees become larger, the grass shorter and the flowers more wild. Bella observes the changes with a greedy eye and I am reminded of her intelligence.

She wants to learn everything.

Know and understand everything.

When we come across the ruins of the Skye palace, Bella gasps.

And I feel that gasp deep within myself, especially when her aura shifts to indigo – her sadness and grief mixing together.

I instantly regret that my family has done nothing to restore the old skeleton of the palace. We should have.

"Is it safe to enter?" my mate implores, taking several small steps towards the palace.

I glance at the crumbling walls and nod. "Yes, but I do not want us to linger if heavy winds begin."

I hope that my condition is not out of line.

But I only want to please her.

And keep her safe.

Bella gazes steadily at me. "Let's go."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: so, sorry about the delay in posting - i had exams this week so i spent all last week studying and i had my last one today. so...chapter! from Edward's head! he seems to think a lot simpler than Bella. *shrugs***

**to answer a few reviews... _TwilightFann1969_ asked how often i update - i update when i can, usually right after the chapter is written and never more than two weeks apart. sometimes, a few updates in one week.**

**_scareDcat_ - i think it's awesome that you found this through Facebook; taking 20 chapters for Edward and Bella to get together annoys me, as well.**

**_Twilight Rocker 12_ - Hairy also means Awesome! you had me in tears!**

**_JLS0823_ - i have a soft spot for Alice :) **

**_Sprite007_ - the only birth marking's Bella has will be the seemingly random freckles on her back that actually for spirals. they might change in the future... ;)**

**_Flavia _- i think i got your pregnancy question answered!**

**_YesMyRealNameIsBella_ - gosh, your imagination is way better than mine! lol**

**_dipsydoodle_ - there is more to Renee's story than we know at the moment but you are partially right!**

**and, extra special shout out to _FLOW LIZ_, who was the first review of the last chapter! i love this story too!**

**and my last piece of business, i joined Facebook. i'd love to talk to you guys! you can find me from my fanfic profile (click the link for homepage) or**

http:/ www. facebook. com /#!/ profile. php? id= 100003400429334 (without the spaces, of course)

**as always, be brutally honest. i can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: i don't own Twilight - i don't even want to!**

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER EIGHT<strong>

"_My eyes are stuck open, love,  
>want more of him, they need less of this.<br>They're everything, they're unbelievable."_

_~ Christina Perri_

Edward's hands are tight on my waist as he steadies me over a hip-high slab of smooth rock, no metal detectable in the material.

These slabs of marble-like rock are the remains of what was once a great Palace, which seemed almost Grecian in human architecture – wide pillars, several sets of stairs and smooth, cracked floors from years of the structure breaking down upon it.

I could not find it in myself to mourn the place that my ancestors had once lived; especially when I find a large, dark red stain on the crumbling floor in a large antechamber. Instead, I close my eyes and turn away from the place where my Grandfather murdered hundreds – if not thousands – of Leumian people, simply to drink their blood.

My lips lock down on my lower lip as I scan the dark, dust encrusted surfaces, motes of dust dancing in the lighted streams of air that break into the ruins.

This entire place is symbolic for so much – it's darkness contrasts with the bright life surrounding it just as the darkness of the time that happened here is so starkly different from the bustling years that are happening now.

"I could have this restored for you," Edward begins quietly.

"No," I say, shaking my head. "It should remain like this. Besides, I'm sure the King wouldn't appreciate a restoration."

"He wouldn't mind," Edward insists.

But we both know he would.

We move through the ruins, Edward being careful of my humanness – helping me over large chunks of rocks and the massive fallen shells of Leumian trees. And at no time during our hesitant explorations did I sense one iota of metal in the immediate area, which put me on edge.

I made a mental not to never venture to this area should I ever need to protect myself.

It was strikingly clear that I would not find protection in my family's ruins.

"What's that?" I ask, squinting into the charcoal darkness, shadows shrouding every nook and cranny.

Edward does not have to squint, though he does lean over me, the outline of his body pressing deliciously against mine. Until last night, thoughts of lust as unbidden as these had no reason to loiter in my mind. But that had changed – some visceral part of me had woken up to the call of his body.

And what a strong call it was.

I struggle to contain the shiver that flows through my body as the vibration of Edward's low hum causes his chest to tremble against my back. "It looks like a library," he says, his melodic voice hot in my ear.

Excitement rushes through me.

This is my chance, maybe my only chance, to learn about my ancestors that had lived for so long and in so much power on this gorgeous planet.

But upon closer examination, we find that the "library" is truly just a mess of unorganized scrolls, some in burnt heaps of ash. On Earth, scrolls much like these were catalogued as ancient artifacts – and even then, humans had graduated to books and eventually disk libraries in strict, compulsive orders.

I frown when I come across a single scroll that is locked away in what seems to be a glass container. I tap the translucent material, shocked to feel a rush of static flowing across my skin.

The sensation was not unlike feeling the rare shock of an electrical outlet.

It was entirely _too_ familiar to my own psychic ability.

I must have gasped because Edward is suddenly behind me, pulling me away from the intriguing box. "Are you hurt?" he demands, his hand running frantically over my body – awakening a hunger that had to be pushed away for the moment but that I would be revisiting _later_.

"I'm fine," I tell him, patting his hands reassuringly. "But what's in the box?"

The corners of Edward's mouth pull down as he studies the perfectly smooth glass box, a large pristine red-wax sealed scroll resting on smooth material within. "It shocked you?"

I tear my eyes away from the box and nod.

"And it doesn't seem to have an opening…"

Before I can even dream of stopping him, Edward stands and his foot crushes the thick glass shell of the box, revealing the pristine scroll within. He unrolls the scroll, his cat-like pupils narrowing. "I cannot read this."

I stare at him in shock and stand, forcing my eyes away from his angular face and onto the coiled crisp scroll. Thick, random lines and shapes dominate the paper, seemingly having no pattern to be able to discern even one letter, let alone several words.

"This is ancient Leumian writing," Edward tells me before I can ask. "I never learned how to read it."

"Do you know someone who can?"

Edward looks down at me curiously. "One of the ancients," he says, rolling the scroll carefully and placing it inside some hidden pocket of his shirt. "A few are old enough to be able to read this. For now, though, we should move from here. I smell rain."

I feel a shudder run through my body as I remember the violent rains of this planet – and judging from Edward's expression as carefully brings a large hood attached to his cape over my head, he remembers too.

The cape falls over my eyes and a strange sound between a laugh and a growl escapes Edward's chest – something between being amused and also knowing that we need to leave soon.

His protective nature is overwhelmingly sweet and I find myself becoming more and more comfortable around him. Something in the way he hovers his body around me is comforting.

Trustworthy.

If I choose to do so, I could trust him with my heart and soul.

Thunder chooses that moment to strike above our heads, an encore to lightening unseen somewhere in the distance. At the loud noise, Edward's body had hunched over mine, his arms caging around me. He settles again once he realizes the noise of nature, though when he does pull away, his lips are set in a serious line; an expression I was starting to recognize.

"I should carry you back," he says. His tone leaves no room for argument.

I know that I should fight back from him, because I am a naturally stubborn person even when it's foolish to be so – stubbornly pushing myself, straining myself, asking questions that receive no answers and looking for solutions for problems when there is no way out.

Part of me supposes that I should have fought harder against my father sending me to Leumin – but then, there hadn't been any other way to me to sustain a life outside of a mental institution.

And, had I not come to Leumin, I wouldn't have learned of my heritage. I wouldn't have met Edward.

But just like that, suspicion rises in my gut, heavy and hard – had my father _known_ about my mother?

Pushing the thought away for further inspection later, I pull Edward's cape tighter around my thin body as a chill from a shockingly heavy wind blows up the skirts of my dress.

Edward carries me close to his chest, one are supporting my back and the other supporting the bend of my knees. He doesn't seem to have any trouble carrying my extra weight – and I'd been led to believe that humans and Leumian's weren't too different from each other.

I suppose strength wasn't factored into the comparisons.

I feel completely protected in his embrace, once I get over my frustration of needing to listen to Edward's demands. Keep my arms inside the cape, the hood over my head and close my eyes when the wind blows. I acknowledged that I was being ridiculous to try to counter his very reasonable requests – after all, all of those things would protect me from the potentially harmful wind and the bracing cold of the air around us.

Still, I am thankful when we reach the mountainous palace – thankful to be relying on my own body and decisions to look after myself and thankful to be indoors as the wind had grown increasingly cool. I was sure the air was below freezing outside and, had there been any amount of precipitation, there would have been the Leumian version of snow on the ground.

Discreetly, Edward pats the pocket that hides the scrolls and leads me down the maze of rounded hallways that was his palace. We pass many people – servants and, what I assume to be, nobility – along the way and they bow deeply to the both of us.

"You are their Princess, now," he murmurs, pressing his lips to my temple when I let out a shocked gasp.

But I shouldn't have been shocked – logically, of course I am their Princess. I just mated their Prince. None of this should be surprising to me.

Unconsciously, I remember that I have been in a position of power for my entire life – in various ways, even.

Most formidable, or dangerous, in psychic abilities. My range was so vast with my first ability that it singled me out in the Psychic Testing Facility – isolating me from others my age or with psychic abilities because my talent was neither secret or hidden from use. I suppose it scared people, humans especially.

I am also the daughter of the Grand President of the Earth and while my father's title is quite ridiculous, his power over the planet is not. People around the globe bow to him, leaders of every country and the leaders of those continents all-falling to his conniving whims during his role of power. And, as a side effect, this also meant that their children became seekers of my favors at a very young age – even before my mother died. On Earth, I was viewed as a Princess and my father the King.

And now, on Leumin, I was recognized as a Princess.

Some part in the back of my mind acknowledged that my status on Earth was probably one of the main reasons the Leumian King Carlisle accepted my presence on Leumin – a Princess on Earth, a Princess on Leumin.

"Bella!"

I look up from the floor, where my eyes had been drawn to as I walked alongside Edward, lost in my thoughts. He also looks up, eyes wide as he sees the tiny form of Alice rushing through the hallway towards us.

When Alice does reach us, she latches onto my forearm and begins to drag me away from Edward – until his strong arm around my waist anchors me to his side along with a deep growl from low in his chest.

"Oh, Edward, you have to _share_!" Alice cries, an utterly heartbroken expression painted on her face. "I'm sure Bella has a thousand questions that you won't be able to answer. I _know_ she does!"

Edward's growls quiet in his chest though he does pull me closer and lay a very possessive kiss on my very shocked lips – yet, I don't have it in me to be embarrassed by his show of affection.

I was beginning to understand his culture.

He releases me reluctantly, running his smooth palm down the side of my face and placing a final kiss on the edge of my jaw. A promise for later.

Alice giggles when he walks away, forcing me to draw my eyes from his retreating form – and my attention from the foreign ache in my chest.

I didn't like seeing him walk away from me. But I found comfort in the fact that I would be with him later.

In all the ways my body was begging for, too.

Alice leads me down another unfamiliar winding hallway and comes to stop in front of another sliding door, which opens after she taps the key pad several times. If I had any doubt of where she was leading me, it all erased once I entered the room.

Several swaths and rolls of fabric are organized from texture to color and everything in between on the left side of the room, an odd machine set up near the fabrics that appeared to actually _make_ the clothes. The walls are painted contrasting, bright colors and the bed is high near the ceiling, leaving the floor bare except for the alcove couches and chairs jutting out onto the soft ground.

"The floors are heated," Alice states, sitting down in the middle of the room. "I can tell you're cold underneath that cape."

That was true. I just hadn't noticed it until now. The hallways of the palace are relatively cool and not much warmer than the weather I had just come in from.

Once I am sitting across from Alice, she leans down onto her stomach, propping herself up on her elbows and kicking her feet into the air behind her. "Go ahead. Ask your questions."

As much as I want to deny the fact that I do have questions, I can't because there is one that is burning inside ever since Edward had mentioned it earlier.

"What is heat? Exactly."

Alice grins. "Heat is when Leumin females are most likely to get pregnant."

"I know that much. I meant…what does it entail?"

"Oh. Well, first, your scent will change," Alice says, inhaling deeply. "Your scent is already changing. And then, your female troubles will be void during this time along with a very increased need to mate. I believe human women experience the same thing every month – a time where they are most likely to become with child. With Leumin females, it's guaranteed."

I feel my brows furrow, more questions popping up in my mind, but I decide the best way to stay on track is to keep everything methodical in my head.

"Why does the scent change?"

"To alert your mate to the heat."

I suppose that made sense – in a purely clinical way. I move on. "What about _my_ scent? Edward said I was a month away-"

"Edward was wrong," Alice laughs, her eyes twinkling. "Of course, he's never been mated before, so it would be easy for him to be mistaken. He wouldn't know what to look for. Or smell for. And I'm sure he thought it would take longer for you to fall into heat because of your human father. Really, Bella, you might have a week or less before your first heat begins."

"That seems really soon," I mutter, rolling onto my back and looking up at the ceiling. How had I never noticed that the ceilings are slightly domed, curving like the rest of the walls?

"The first heat is always the quickest," Alice sighs fondly.

My mind snaps to attention with that comment. "Do you have children?"

Alice's laugh peals through the air, high and tinkling like tiny bells. "Oh, no!"

I frown. "But I thought pregnancy was guaranteed-"

"If the male releases his seed and barbs!"

I feel my face pale. Barbs sounds particularly violent.

Alice laughs again. "I really should explain everything I say with you," she giggles. "I forget that you're only half Leumian. You look so much like a native."

But my mind is still stuck on her statement before last, so I cannot stop myself from blurting, "They can _choose_ to come or not?"

I couldn't even imagine why they wouldn't want their release.

"No, they climax every time," Alice corrects. "It's the seed that is by choice. The seed can only be released during the female's heat because the male's body instinctively reacts to the scent. The barbs are kind of like little hooks that eject from the male's phallus when climax is reached to hold in the seed."

A frightening image fills my mind – Edward's impressive length releasing vicious, pointing hooks that threaten to shred my insides. "Wouldn't that…hurt?"

Alice laughs again, as if she is holding in a secret. "Gosh, no. I'm told it heightens pleasure."

"Alice, why haven't you had children?" I ask before I can stop myself. I realize too late how insensitive the question might be.

"Jasper and I are not ready for children. And, I firmly believe that it was not in our cards, yet. If it was, then I would already be with child and more around me because the male has no choice but to eject his seed and sperm during the very first heat induced mating."

I nod, knowing that she can see me even if I cannot see her. Everything made sense in an unfamiliar way – the entire mating process for Leumian's was really very logical.

"So, I will be pregnant soon," I conclude, folding my arms over my stomach and trying to imagine what it might feel like when my belly is swollen with a Leumian child.

I didn't find the idea repulsive.

Instead, I found myself sad at the thought that I might _not_ be able to have children.

And sad that my mother is long gone from both planets, a slow wave of grief washing over my skin.

"Yes. But there is no pressure," Alice hurries to assure, her face popping up over mine. "Every Leumian woman is now able to become pregnant, when her time comes."

I nod, recognizing the difference between Earth and Leumian expectations – and recognizing the jolt of awareness that my getting pregnant would be easier than I imagined, despite families barren disease. And I wanted to get pregnant – which is so odd to me as I had never particularly liked children.

They are loud and sticky and they cannot adequately relay their wants and needs. Perhaps my infatuation with Edward also changed my opinion of children. Or, maybe, I wanted to have _his_ children.

Alice's door slides open with a soft hiss and Rosalie is quick to close it behind her. She is wearing a casual dress in bright red coral, her light hair piled on top of her head and her feet bare. She turns to me with a slightly saddened expression. "I am not tied to you anymore."

I feel myself frowning, realizing the loss of forced affection towards the true Princess of Leumin. "Why did that happen?"

Rosalie shrugs, gracefully sitting down across from me beside Alice. "Edward's mating bond pushed mine out. That's fine though. Emmett was becoming jealous, though I will miss knowing if my oaf of a brother is winning your heart."

I struggle to rein in my smile. "I'll always tell you if he does."

Both Rosalie and Alice perk up. "Is he?"

Heat flames in my face and I look away. Truthfully, he'd done more than win my heart – even if I hadn't told him yet. I didn't know when I would but he made it harder to fight against blurting the words everyday.

"He has," Rosalie says knowingly, a bright smile flashing in the room.

"I wonder if it has anything to do with the sex?" Alice wonders aloud, her voice low but loud enough that Rosalie and I hear her.

Rosalie's face scrunches up in disgust. "I don't want to know."

"I don't want to say, trust me!"

Alice laughs at us and the awkward moment passes with me feeling relieve the subject was dropped as quickly as it came up.

I stay with Alice and Rosalie for another hour or so as Alice insists on trying different fabrics against my skin, claiming that she now had to make Princess worthy dresses for me.

"Could we leave the back free on most of them?" I request, fighting against feeling insecure about the vulnerable skin of my back and wanting to please Edward, who obviously loved the same skin.

"Of course. Can I ask why?"

I twist my head around, trying to see the freckles that dotted and lined my skin. "Edward thinks I have Leumian markings."

Immediately, Rosalie moves to inspect. "They are faint, but they are there. How had we not noticed this before?"

I shrug, somewhat glad that Edward was right. The design of freckles on my back made me more Leumian – and tied me to this planet in more permanent ways. My comfort on this planet was growing everyday and I wasn't foolish enough to think it didn't have anything to do with Edward.

It had _everything_ to do with him.

Following the very detailed directions that Rosalie had given me, I attempt to find my way back to Edward's room – our room, now, I suppose. I wasn't sure it Leumian tradition would force me to have an adjacent room to Edward's, like the ancient English royalty were prone to do, but I sincerely hoped against it. I liked waking with his large, wiry arms wrapped around me, our feet tangled together.

I should have realized something was _wrong_ – that something was about to happen – because the servants and roaming nobility were absent from the hallways. I should have been suspicious of the quiet.

But I wasn't.

Not until I spied the abandoned duster on the floor near an opening of a hallway and by then, it was too late.

Hard hands push against my back, Edward's cape thankfully shielding my skin from the rough touch. I fall hard onto my knees, my palms automatically reaching out to break my fall; I hear the harsh skid of my skin against the smooth floor before I feel the pain of my skin ripping.

"Humans," a familiar voice says harshly, the tone mocking. "So fragile. But _manipulative_."

My head whips around, eyes wide in shock to see King Carlisle pacing around me with a deep glower etched on his face. His cold eyes connect with mine and he laughs – its an ugly sound, deep and humorless.

"My son, _the fool_, thought he could deliver those scrolls without me finding out. But how would he have known where to find them?" he asks rhetorically, observing me critically when I shuffle off my bleeding knee.

The pain is minor compared to the numbed shock of experiencing this moment with the King.

"I think he knew where to find them because someone told his little half-human mate where to find them. The real question is, who told you?" King Carlisle pushes his foot against my wounded knee, his upper lip curling into a snarl when I am quiet except for the sharp gasp as his boot pushes against the open scrape. "I asked you a question, girl. Who told you where that scroll is?"

"Nobody!" I snap, pushing myself against the curve in the wall.

"Oh? You're little treasonous mother didn't tell you anything before she died? She didn't tell you all the secrets of Leumin? Or your family?" he demands, crouching down in front off me and running a cool finger down the side of my face.

When I flinch away from his touch, he growls and fists my short hair in his hand, slamming my head against the wall in front of me. I hadn't even had time to think about protecting myself – I could, I knew that.

But this is also the King.

My father-in-law on Earth.

Could I injure him to protect myself?

Subconsciously, feel the static pulsing in my head trigger the fine layer of electricity on the surface of my skin – hoping that the King would not touch my skin again but knowing that it was highly likely he would.

"Didn't she tell you that you wouldn't be able to spawn a child?" he sneers, slamming my head harder against the wall.

"Father?"

Edward's voice echoes through the hallway, panic and anger seeping through his one word. I hear the rush of his footsteps but I can't tear my eyes away from the King, who is still actively glaring at me and pulling at my hair. I'm not even sure he heard his son because he seems to be completely shocked when Edward tackles him to the ground, snarling in his father's face.

Edward's fangs are fully extended and in that moment I realize how much bigger Edward is compared to his father – but perhaps not bigger in a purely physical sense.

No, Edward's heart and mind is bigger than his father and that will be the difference between them, the difference between kings when Edward is able to rule.

My hand reaches behind my head to touch the tender area and I wince as the pulsing in my head matches the pulsing outside of my head. Edward snarls something low to his father and, just as quick as he appeared to save me, Edward has his arms wrapped firmly around my body and he is taking me away, out of sight from his father and any other hidden eyes. We are much closer to his room that I'd thought and, for a small moment, I feel proud that I had gotten so close to my destination.

That pride vanishes once the door slides closed behind us and Edward begins to inspect my body closely, his large hands covering every surface of my body. Growls escape his lips when he find the large area of ripped skin on my knee and the redness on my palms.

"I'm sorry," he murmurs, pressing his mouth against the skin of my thigh. I am sitting on his alcove couch with him crouched low in front of me. "Did he hurt you anywhere else?"

My hand automatically presses against my tender scalp and Edward frowns at my wince.

"I cannot heal that one so easily. We must exchange blood."

And that is how Edward heals the newly forming bruises on my delicate membrane. His still-extended fangs pierce the flesh of his wrist deep enough for the slow blood to flow freely. I latch onto his wound, shivering as the richly sweet taste hits my tongue.

Lapping at it, I feel the wound on my knee tingle and begin to close and the pulsing on the back of my head begin to east. I connect eyes with Edward, stunned when I find his vibrant eyes much darker, hooded and his breathing deeper.

I suck eagerly on his wrist until it closes itself and after that, I let my tongue lick the remnants of his life force.

"I need you," he whispers lowly, one of his hands trailing up my leg from my calves to my inner thighs, his long hands teasing my skin.

I am so drawn to him, my desire flaring up to match his and my knees part easily under the pads of his fingers.

Slowly, as to not startle me, I'm sure, Edward traces his fingers across the apex of my thighs, frowning when he encounters a thin piece of cloth that is my delicate underwear. It hadn't occurred to me that he had never had to deal with this particular piece of fabric.

That much becomes apparent when he growls lowly, pushing my legs apart and ripping my moistened underwear from my body, the sound sharp in the quiet of the room.

He inhales greedily.

I shudder.

Edward's fingers return to where he had left off, tracing the sensitive skin between my legs, his fingers becoming wet with my arousal, his fangs becoming longer still.

He pushes his face into the space between my thighs, his tongue lapping at my core without hesitation – he does not give me a chance to acclimate to this intimate touch so I remain exposed and sensitive the entire time. My legs tremble around his head, fighting between the need to anchor him to my body and the need to move from his relentless touch.

His fingers push up against the hood of my sex, exposing my clit to his puffing breath and probing tongue. It only takes several passes of his mouth before I am shuddering against him, my hips lifting away from his mouth as pleasure mingles with pain from the sensitivity.

But Edward puts his hands on my hips and pulls me closer again, his tongue continuing the maddening pattern he'd created before. I feel my eyes tearing from the intensity as I come again, calling out his name in shock when he continues to lap at the swollen skin of my core.

Repeatedly he brings me pleasure, each time more intense than the last until one touch of his tongue is enough to push me over the edge. It is only then that Edward pushes our clothing off and onto the floor and carries my limp body to the bed.

I am slick and swollen and ready for him when he pushes his large length into me; he groans once he is buried to the hilt, pulsing inside of me. I hiss as he thrusts gently, my noise turning into a moan when he brushes against something deep inside of me.

I'd lost track of how many times my body had come but the way Edward was constantly pressed against me, his pelvic bone pressed tightly to mine, kept me on a precarious edge. I lost my sense of time during his slow thrusts, balancing between release and begging for release until, suddenly, his pace increased and I was coming violently, squeezing around him to the sound of his roaring.

Panting, he rests his weight on me for a moment, tenderly kissing my face while my eyes blink slowly up at him.

Edward pulls out of me and disappears for a moment, only to come back to press a cool cloth against my sex, gently cleaning me,

I sigh, exhausted and strung out from so many orgasms, when he pulls me against his chest and pressing a tender kiss to my forehead. "My mate," he murmurs.

I fall into a comfortable sleep, feeling safe and utterly loved – though neither of us had admitted to that particular feeling before.

But my peace does not last for long enough.

My dreams haunt me for a second night, my father's manic voice whispering in my ears. And the King's haunting words, the crazed look in his eyes as he slammed me against the wall, pulling so harshly at my hair that I was sure the follicles would rip from my scalp.

And a steady pain in my lower stomach.

A pain that grows stronger as my dreams fade from my consciousness and I wake to a dark room with Edward's strong arms caging me to his body.

I gasp quietly as a sharp pain somewhere between a cramp and something much more fine, a drawn out pricking, echoes in my lower abdomen.

I close my eyes, trying to ignore the thoughts that something bad was happening to me, and snuggled closer into Edward's embrace.

And as I do, I feel a rush of liquid between my thighs and the sensation of wet sheets beneath my body.

And as I notice that, a deeper, sharper pain claws through from under my belly button to my core.

I cry out.

Edward bolts up, the sheets whipping up from his hurried motion exposing the lower halves of our bodies.

And the dark pool of blood underneath me.

"Bella!"

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><p><strong>AN: alright ladies and gents! another chapter, another week - which, i'm claiming this as a Thursday post even though its about an hour and half after Thursday. call it a technicality. i do.**

**a peek into my personal life - my new semester just started and i'm taking an extra class this semester (my very last semester of highschool!) along with those dreadful SAT and ACT tests and other important tests. translation? i'm going to be very very busy. that's not to say that i won't continue writing - i will. but updates will be sporadic. you've been warned!**

**another topic is this review i got that i'd like to share:**

_ScarlettN0123:I have to say I really like alien fics but I hate how almost every twilight story has a less than pretty Bella. Now I do realize that Bella in the movies is not what I would consider pretty, nor any guy Ive ever heard talk about her all agree shes plain, has a body of a 12 yr old boy and a selfish personality in both the books and movies but I really enjoy when some fanfics decide to give Edward a break and not only make her pretty but witty and not so selfish. Im so bitter that I refuse to watch anymore twilight movies since Kristen is not only ugly but a horrible actress and it makes me sick to see her get Edward. It sucks that you made her so plain too. In real life guys do not find girls like her attractive unless she has some kind of awesome personality which she just doesnt. Heres to hoping your next story may have a bella that resembles a Leighton Meester or Nina Dobrev. If Edward is going to be so cute and talented he deserves a woman who is in the same class as him. By the way those Bella lovers who love to write her as a plain jain if u are making her pale atleast let her wear some damn make up cause even though fanfiction loves to write about pale is beauty it just isnt. Creamy skin belongs to women like Leighton Meester never ever will Kristen stewart have what anyone would call nice skin. And before anyone comments about how looks arent everything Bella basically only likes Edward at first because of his looks. Its in our dna to notice looks first. So for the love of all thats holy will someone please write a sexy, curvy, make up wearing Bella?_

**now, this review truly irked me for several reasons - one, it was a left on the very first chapter, two, this person took the cowards way out and decided to leave it without signing on and three, she choose me to have to suffer through her insecure ramblings.**

**i love reviews. i love constructive reviews even more. this was neither. it was rude and sarcastic and, really, if she has such a problem with canon Bella's...A, why doesn't she write her own story and B, why is she reading Twilight? personally, i think my Bella is very beautiful - just in a different way. she is, after all, half alien. this reviewer would never know it, though, because she chose to judge from the first chapter - and then judged the wrong thing! *heavy sigh* i know. i'm ranting. i'm sorry but...just UGH!**

**anyway, onto other reviews that were awesome!**

**_Nissa-Cullen_: answers are sure to come - Renee, Charlie, everything!**

**_ngosa95_: thank you so much for you're enthusiasm! :)**

**_mommyof3boys_: i think...i answered your question ;)**

**_Twilight Rocker 12_: unfortunately, fanfic cut off the rest of you're review!**

**_ClancyJane_: the "gift" from Charlie was just that, a gift. it had no other meaning. he was just trying to sweeten her up!**

**_james3142_: Carlisle doesn't learn! i love that you call me Doll - that's kind of really awesome!**

**_telaviv_: more interaction to come!**

**_YesMyRealNameIsBella_: ahhh your inquires have so much insight!**

**and shout out to the first review of the last chapter, _tiffanyashm_, thanks for reading!**

**phew. long authors note! you can add me on Facebook - link is on my profile under the "Homepage" blue word thingy. just click and you're there! also, if anyone was wondering what i imagine my Bella to look like - in detail - Google "Rooney Mara Vogue". **

**as always, be brutally honest (and i feel i should add constructive).**

**~cupcakeriot**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: i do not own Twilight! i don't even want to!**

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><p>CHAPTER NINE<p>

"_Time stands still  
>Beauty I know she is<br>I will be brave  
>I will not let anything take away<br>What's standing in front of me  
>Every breath,<br>Every hour has come to this."_

_~Christina Perri_

**Edward**

Dark red human blood.

My mate's blood.

Everywhere.

My mind is blank. I can only process the sight of her creamy thighs covered in the dark stain.

I wasn't sure this was normal for humans.

And she looked to be in a great amount of pain, her knees trying to draw up to her stomach.

Trying to shield herself.

I feel as if gravity holds me down, my insides dropping to my feet.

Did _I_ cause this?

The thought is horrifying. All of my memories of our mating have been exquisite, pleasure filled, rosy blushes dancing across her cheeks as her mouth lets out tiny moans.

Have I been wrong?

Have I been rough? Too earnest?

Did I _hurt_ her?

I try to peek between her thighs where the blood seems to be rapidly seeping from, trying to glimpse the wound I have surely caused.

But Bella screams out in pain again and all I can think about now is finding the Healer.

My body is suddenly too large and imposing, my limbs gargantuan compared to my slip of a mate – stumbles clumsily towards the intercom. Large pale fingers – my own, which now seem too long, too thick – press against the tiny buttons roughly.

"Healer!"

My mate moans painfully from our bed, the loud noise fading into a whimper.

"Healer!"

There is no response and I roar in frustration.

I am the Prince.

He is to respond immediately.

My hand slams against the intercom again, this time hitting the button that would broadcast my voice across the palace. "Healer!"

I could not find it in myself to care that my mate might want this private.

Or that the servants would surely gossip in the morn when news got out about this.

But she is in trouble.

None of that matters right now

I'm not sure it ever should.

I rush towards my mate, my giant hands shaking as I brush her short hair away from her clammy forehead.

She is so pale – the contrast between our skin more dramatic, though I am much lighter than many Leumian's.

Her skin tone brings back memories of her first days.

How foolish I had been.

I had wasted time.

What if I lost her now?

My chest clenches at the thought.

I lean down and press my lips against her cheeks, inhaling her suddenly strong scent before I turn away and bolt out the door.

The Healer is not the only person who can help my mate.

My mother knew of medicinal remedies.

She had always been the one to heal me when I was a child.

I had no doubt that she would help my mate.

My bare feet pound the ground beneath me, a sharp sound in the dark hallway as I approach the rooms in which my parents rested.

I slam my palm against the door.

And then I realize the escalated voices from within the chambers.

My mother's sharp trill, louder than I had ever heard it. "You will leave that poor child alone, Carlisle."

"She will be the downfall of Leumin! The scrolls-"

"You know as well as I do that the scrolls have not been translated!"

"And when they are, we will all know the truth."

"I know that you are not the male that mated me."

Mother's words are cold, but she continues.

I know that I should be rushing, but I need to hear what is being said.

I need to know that someone adores my mate, too.

"I know that the male that mated me would not prey on an innocent girl, no matter her heritage. I do not know the male you have become. I do not want to know him. You will leave your _son's mate _alone, Carlisle. She has done nothing-"

"Her family has."

"That is her family, not her!"

"Her father has sent her here-"

"Her _father, _if you can call him that, sold his daughters life for a treaty," Mother spits.

My chest aches for my mate.

She had not known much kindness in her life.

"Her father has a plan," Father argues. "He is sinister, just like his spawn-"

"Spawn?"

The shock in Mother's voice is abundant.

Father does not care.

"She is spawn. Evil."

I growl lowly.

Mother hisses. "The only evil in this palace is you, Carlisle. And I will have none of it." Her tone is final.

I cannot wait any longer.

I must make myself known.

My palm slams harder against the door and I call for Mother.

She would help.

Father answers the door, his face tired and drawn in hard lines.

I push past him.

He does not matter.

"Mother, I need your help."

Mother's face is still tight with anger, her hardened eyes softening when I speak.

"What is it, dear one?"

I swallow.

I do not want Father to hear, but it must be said, otherwise Mother might hesitate more.

I could not afford to lose any more time.

"It is Bella," I begin, only to be cut off by Father.

His voice is smug.

Like my mother, I do not know who this male is.

The father that raised me was firm, but kind and gentle.

Reasonable.

Trustworthy.

He was nothing like the male standing before me, his mouth pulled into a sneer, his eyes seeming to mock me.

I snarl at him.

Mother touches my arm.

"I will come with you," she says gently, glaring at my Father who has the decency to look down, shamed.

He should be shamed.

He is shameful.

I nod and hurry Mother out of the room.

I fill her in on the details of my mate's condition on the way.

The blood.

The pain.

The pale skin.

The absent Healer – which might have had something to do with Father, now that I think of it.

No Leumian on the planet would defy the King's order.

But that did not make his absence right.

I made a note to find a replacement that is loyal to me and my mate.

Because of my age, Father will be forced to give the kingdom to me in a year.

Soon, he would have no power.

And though I didn't necessarily want to rule, I would.

It would be another way to protect my Bella.

Mother does not know what to make of my mate's symptoms.

I feel my lips pulling into a frown around my half-mast fangs.

My mate's hybrid status made this much more complicated.

The door to my chambers slide open quickly and I am by my mate's side in a flash, my eyes flicking between the deep red stains and her fluttering eyes.

"Oh, dear."

I look up to Mother, her hand pressed against her cheek.

"What is it?"

I cannot hide the panic in my voice.

There must be something dire about this situation.

Much more serious than I thought.

Just as I begin falling into a state of uncontrollable anxiety, Mother speaks.

"You couldn't have known," she murmurs, smiling slightly at me.

I frown at her.

I knew many things.

There were few things I did not know.

"Couldn't have known? What?"

Mother steps forward, pulling the sheets over my mate's body and tucking them around her tiny frame.

"You have never been around a female in heat, Edward."

My mind is blank for a moment.

And then it blurs into action.

Mother was right – I had never been near a female in heat.

It was forbidden for un-mated males and females to be near each other during the female heat.

It was better that way.

Safer for the female.

There were, unfortunately, awful occurrences early on in my Grandfather's rule – times when un-mated females were harmed by rogue males during their heat.

Now, un-mated females were relocated during their heat time for safety measures.

"This is normal?" I blurt, glancing at my mate with wide eyes.

It did not seem normal.

But, I would not know.

Mother pats my cheek. "As normal as it can be. I imagine the transition must be more painful for a hybrid."

Painful?

"She is in pain?"

Mother nods slowly. "My son, this is her first heat. Her body is preparing to carry a child by shedding excess to make room for a fetus. The enzymes in your blood should make it easier for her, but I cannot guarantee it."

Preparing to carry a child.

Our child.

A tiny female, perhaps, with eyes like mine and dark hair like my mate.

Or a small Prince with my skin and hair and my mate's eyes.

I inhale sharply at the images present in my mind.

And as I inhale, I detect a stronger change in Bella's scent.

When I had left the room for Mother, it had been much more subtle.

Yesterday, it had been barely detectable.

But now, it was overwhelming.

I fought against the urge to claim my slumbering mate in the moment.

It would not be proper – because she is sleeping and my mother is still gazing at me in concern.

I have not responded to her explanation.

So I nod, distracted by the scent swirling in the room.

"She will be okay?"

Mother smiles. "Of course."

I see the tightness behind her smile though.

And I think back to my childhood, the strict guidelines I was raised by – lessons in government, culture, war, languages and history.

Lessons with weapons.

And hunting.

And the secret lessons Mother provided me with – the music she taught me to play on several instruments.

The songs she had taught me that I would soon show my mate.

But all through that, I had never seen this tense smile.

I know it is Father's fault.

"Father will not be okay," I claim quietly.

I suppress the need to inhale deeply.

Mother needs my attention now.

"He is struggling," Mother admits.

I hiss lowly.

_Struggling_ is a word for it.

"He will acclimate," Mother assures me with a certain glint in her eyes. "I know your mate is not a danger. How could she be? She is just an innocent pawn in political games. The King _will_ realize this."

My mother leaves the room then.

Leaves me alone with my innocent, alluring mate.

The thoughts that fill my mind are not as innocent.

And the scent that threatens to unravel me.

Arousal creeps into my blood, my fangs grazing the skin of my lips – and I turn away, rushing into the washroom and starting a bath.

I wanted my mate to relax.

Because, if I had my way, she would not be relaxing for some time.

I pour several different healing salts into the steaming water.

They had no scent, which is perfectly fine for me.

I would not want any other scent to distract me from Bella's.

Sweet.

And spicy.

She even smelled soft.

Delicious.

When the water seems to be the right temperature, I depart from the washroom and approach my mate, who is still sleeping.

But her slumber seems light.

I am sure she would not mind being moved.

So, I pick her up, careful to keep my hands on un-arousing parts of her body.

I could not let her tempt me until she was relaxed.

This was our first heat.

My mate might be pregnant with my child by this time next week.

I am entranced by the thought.

Holding her in my arms, I walk us into the bathroom.

Kissing her cheek with an open mouth, I gently place her in the water.

Bella rouses slightly, her dark lashes fluttering against her pale cheeks.

She is exquisite.

And mine.

I want her.

Now.

But she must be relaxed.

Gently, I place my lips upon hers, tasting her sweet lips until she wakes, slightly confused at her location.

"Edward?"

I smile down at her, kneeling beside her bath.

"I was bleeding," she states monotonously, looking down into the clear water.

"You were," I nod, allowing my fingers to trail down her elegant neck. My fangs beg to sink into the tender flesh. "But it is normal."

Bella's eyes widen. "Oh."

"You are in heat," I tell her, joy filtering into my voice.

I watch, fascinated, as my mates blood rises underneath her skin.

Her pink is so pretty.

"Oh."

I kiss her again, inhaling her scent once more, before I turn and leave the washroom.

The sheets are pulled off the bed and tossed into a rounded corner of our chambers.

I replace them with the softest hunting furs I have won.

The furs that I cut and cured myself in the hopes that they would one day be the furs my mate would rest on during our mating.

It was tradition.

These would be the furs we would use during every heat.

I run my hand across the softness, imagining my mate's milky skin against the golden furs.

I feel my fangs click down, poking against my lips.

I hear the shifting of water as my mate moves in her bath.

I inhale her scent, growing stronger every passing second.

And I move to secure the locks on my chamber doors.

My inner beast is unleashing himself.

I am becoming more primal.

Losing myself to her scent.

I can't regret it.

I want her.

Need her.

She's mine.

I am in the washroom in time for her next breath.

She is not startled but she stares up at me with wide eyes.

I imagine that my eyes are dark and my fangs are drawn long.

I reach for her.

Dry her quickly so she does not catch a chill.

Kiss her, my tongue roving through her mouth.

Tasting her.

Giving her a preview of what I planned to do to her soon.

So soon.

She gasps into my mouth as I pull her tight against my body.

My hands low on her hips.

Ghosting over her bottom.

Grinding her flat stomach against my ready arousal.

I lead her into the open bedroom.

Onto the bed.

My lips at her jaw, her neck and small, round breasts.

Sucking.

Licking.

Nipping at her with my fangs.

Drawing out tiny gasps and moans.

My fingers gliding over her smooth skin.

And slick center.

She is not bleeding any more.

Just as I am about to plunge my fingers into her waiting heat, the beast takes pause.

What if she did not want to be pregnant?

It would surely happen unless I prevented it.

"Children?" I blurt out, moving my hand to rest on her stomach.

I'm aware that my question doesn't make any sense.

I am only thinking of the two children I envisioned today.

Would I be able to accept it if my mate did not want children?

Yes. It would make me incredibly sad, but I would cope with it.

My mate came first.

Always.

If she did not want children, we would not have them.

Bella looks up at me with a calm expression.

I cannot even guess her thoughts.

"I want children," she murmurs, reaching up to touch my face.

Relief.

Lust.

I lean down to kiss her, probing her mouth again as I gently prompt her to roll onto her stomach.

The beast grins at her bare backside, my hands roving over the smooth surface.

Possessively, I kiss her neck, marking her with a scrape of my fangs.

I rub myself against the small of her back, my hands reaching under her body to grope her breasts.

Then, my hands move again as my lips begin to suck a wet line down her spine.

My fingers caress her center, spreading the slickness around.

I had never felt her so aroused.

The heat was aiding me, not that we really needed it.

But she would be pregnant.

I could feel it in my bones.

My hands pull her hips up until she is on her knees and supported by her hands.

I spread her legs and adjust my stance behind her.

I push in.

Tight.

Wet.

Home.

Mine.

I hold my breath as she adjusts to the angle.

I am so deep.

We shudder at the sensation together.

And then the beast - the part of me that wants to dominate my mate, impregnate her, claim her – prompts me to move.

So, I do.

I thrust deeper into her, my hips flat against her bottom.

Pull out slowly.

Thrust in quickly.

Faster.

Harder.

She moans.

"Edward…Oh!"

Her fingers dig into the furs underneath us.

Her back arches.

My mate comes once, then a second time after that.

I continue thrusting, pushing her back down so her chest is pressed against the warm furs.

"Mine," I growl.

The angle is tighter.

I pant, rotating my hips after every thrust.

Nipping at her neck.

I feel myself tightening as my mate clenches around me.

A third time and I can't hold off any more.

I thrust violently, uncontrolled, as I come to completion with my mate underneath me.

My fangs sink into her neck and I take a deep mouthful of her sweet blood.

Ecstasy.

I feel my seed release into her womb, my hips tight against her bottom as I roar out her name.

My barbs jut out inside of her, hooking into the delicate clenching flesh that surrounds me.

Keeping my body connected to hers, I run my palms over her back, soothing her tired body.

I cannot pull out of her yet.

My barbs would damage her.

But I am content to listen to her quieting breathing.

By the time my barbs retract and I slowly pull out of my mate, she is relaxed, a slow smile spreading across her face.

I kiss her lips gently.

I caress the smooth skin on her lower stomach.

Her scent would change again soon and the frenzy I felt to claim her would calm.

But she would be round with my child.

I take her three more times in the same fashion and by the middle morning of the next day, she is exhausted, sated and sleeping.

We lay beside each other after I have fed her the mid-day meal.

"Do you want children?" Bella asks, her fingers running up and down my chest, her head resting on my shoulder.

I touch her short hair and let my hand stroke the soft skin of her back to her taut stomach. "I want many children," I grin, flashing my half-mast fangs at her.

"How will we know I'm pregnant?"

I stare at the ceiling.

The only pregnant female I had ever seen was my mother when Rosalie was growing inside her body.

The Leumian pregnancy was similar to that of humans.

Leumian females only carried for three months – 11 moon cycles.

Still, I knew some things about the process.

"First, there will be a change in your scent."

"That happens a lot," she remarks with a smile.

I nod.

It did happen a lot.

"We will be able to see a bump, small but noticeable, in a few days," I tell her with excitement.

"That's very fast."

I kiss her flushing cheek.

"You will be needing my blood more frequently as well."

"Why?"

"The baby requires certain enzymes that are only present in male Leumian's. If you were a full-bred Leumian female, you would still need to take my blood."

Bella nods, yawning into my sun-toned skin.

I have tired her out.

The thought makes me grin wickedly.

I would be more than happy to continue to do so.

"What happens after the birth? Wait!" My mate sits up and turns to me, eyes wide. "Do Leumian's give birth?"

I laugh at the shock in her voice.

What did she think Leumian's were?

"I am a mammal, too," I tell her. "After the birth, the child will be very fragile. We will go away for a few months until he is no longer in danger."

"Danger."

I nod. "Our child will be royal. He will be a target for many who wish to harm the family. And baby Leumian's easily become ill, much like human children, I believe."

Many Leumian children had died from sickness.

Rosalie was almost one of them.

A virus had plagued her after birth but she had survived.

And our child would survive, too.

I stroke my mate's stomach as she settles herself against me again.

I press my large palm against her skin.

Could our baby be growing right now?

I had no way of telling if she was pregnant yet.

It was too early.

But I wanted it so badly.

And I think my mate did, too.

Two days later, my mate's heat scent was fading from her skin and the air of my chambers.

And it was replaced by another one.

More sweet.

More like me.

I had woken up before Bella, her snores rousing me though they were entertaining to listen to.

Immediately, my nose had pressed into her lower stomach.

And I roared with triumph.

There was no mistaking this new scent.

Or the barely detectable bump adorning her once-flat stomach.

"Hello, baby," I murmur against her stomach, kissing all the skin I could find.

My body was practically vibrating with happiness.

Our child.

My mate was giving me our child.

A bout of fierce protectiveness overtook me when I heard the slight grumbling of my mate's hunger.

Without hesitation, I pressed the intercom and ordered for food to be brought up to our chambers.

And then, I woke my mate with an orgasm, my tongue buried in her folds as her eyes opened and her back arched.

And then, I told her of the happy news.

My mate cried.

She insisted they were tears of joy.

"I never thought I would be a mother," she confesses, warm in our furs and my arms, her stomach and body sated.

"You are now," I whisper, caressing her lips with my own.

"Thank you."

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><p><strong>AN: i know! it took forever! and for that, i'm sorry. but i came back. i always come back. i won't ever leave any of you hanging with an unfinished story! cross my heart and all that jazz! as many of you know, i started my new semester two weeks ago and let's just say, it's been quite the headache. and on Valentine's Day, i rescued a puppy from the middle of the road and he's been a bit time consuming (because my dog doesn't like him). and then, my computer crashed and i forgot to save my progress so i had to go re-write the entire chapter. **

**but, moving on! hello to all you new readers! i'm so honored that anyone is reading this story so, i'm giving everyone virtual high-fives.**

_**Nissa-Cullen**_** - calm down! Carlisle was wrong! :D**

_**JLS0823 **_**- right now, i don't think Aro is going to make it into the story, so Carlisle is taking his place lol**

_**james3142 **_**- your reviews always put a smile on my face. you're super awesome!**

_**looking4inspiration **_**- in this story, psychic is defined as any ability above the norm. it could be said, with that premise, that Emmett in the original series was a psychic, too, because of his extra strength, or that Jasper and Edward could be considered psychics too. i'm using the term very loosely but it all applies.**

_**sheeiur22 **_**- i do think that this chapter answered all of your questions!**

_**sassygirl156 **_**- i completely agree with you and you're not wrong about Charlie or Carlisle**

_**YesMyRealNameIsBella **_**- . you keep guessing my plot lol**

**shout out to the first reviewer of the last chapter - **_**Twilight Rocker 12**_**, you are so, so hairy ;) your challenge letter this time is...Q! lol**

**also, shoutouts to the very cool **_**DurtyNelly **_**(read what this writer writes! seriously! it's an order). you actually helped me through this chapter and i just think it's super cool that your so down to earth even though you write such mind-blowing things! and to the lovely **_**telaviv**_**, who constantly points out things that i seem to skim over. i thank you because you make me round out the story more than i would do originally. you keep me in check!**

**alright, ladies and gents, i have nothing more to say. i need a really long nap and to study for my Advanced Government class...**

**as always, be brutally honest. i can take it!  
>~cupcakeriot<strong>


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight – I don't even want to!**

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><p><strong>CHAPTER TEN<strong>

"_If you could envision  
>The meaning of a tragedy<br>Ooh, you might be  
>Surprised to hear it's you and me."<em>

_~Christina Perri_

Large hands cover the tiny bump on my stomach, fingertips caressing the smooth, pale skin. Edward has pulled me against his chest, comforting me in his own way.

Of course, I had heard of morning sickness – the nausea that accompanies a woman's pregnancy.

But, on Earth where the pregnancies were drawn out, the sickness was mild compared to what I was no experiencing. I breathe and my stomach rolls. I am thirsty, but the thought of water – or anything in my mouth – makes me queasy.

Edward didn't know what to do. His hands, while smooth and cool, made my body unbelievable hot and uncomfortable, unless they were on my stomach.

Based on the apologetic expression on his face, Edward is at a loss as to what he should do. He clearly wants to take away the effects of the quick pregnancy without taking the pregnancy out all together.

Impossibly sweet.

But I wouldn't give up the churning in my stomach for anything. I relished in the urge to purge whatever nutrition was trying to be absorbed in my body.

We created a life.

It has been two days since we found out, six since my heat and the startling pricks of barbs digging into the canals of my sex.

Three days since Edward informed me of the conversation he heard between his parents.

One day since the Queen – her kind eyes and disposition – had come to warn me of the quick pregnancy and the uncomfortable, intense aspects that might not have been so apparent on Earth. I had thought I would be able to anticipate whatever side effects might come along.

I was wrong.

I feel a flutter low in my stomach as Edward's skin-kissed skin roves over the slightly growing bump. I do not miss my flat stomach.

Along with the flutter, the nausea rolls through my stomach and I squirm, rolling to bury my face in the spot between Edward's neck and shoulder where his scent is stronger.

"Where are the herbs your mother brought?"

The queen had taken the time to hand-pick and mix a set of herbs that were supposed to be steamed into a tea – a home remedy that Leumian women had been using for the longest time.

Edward carefully moves me to lay on my side, tucking soft furs around my prone body, before he jumps up and quickly puts the tea together. The scent of the herbs is strong – almost too strong.

But as I continue to inhale, I find comfort in the pungent scents. They are soothing and my body reacts kindly, as if knowing exactly where the herbs have come from. Some kind of ingrained reaction to the Leumian tradition that still holds true.

Thankfully, the tea tastes much better than it smells and it easily soothes my raging stomach.

It seems our baby enjoys the tea, because the fluttering in my stomach stops altogether. When Edward can no longer feel the miniscule vibrations, he frowns.

I had been shocked that he would be able to feel the baby moving around, as it was so soon and the baby was tiny. But the Queen had told me about Leumian pregnancy in detail.

I would have no more surprises.

Right now, the baby was rapidly developing and what would take seven months on Earth, was happening in one on Leumian. The last two months of the pregnancy would be to ensure the baby was strong enough to survive at his own. It all meant that my first month would show my stomach progressing from flat to almost fully-grown.

So different.

I wondered if my mother's pregnancy was similar.

And then, a thought flickers in my mind, loud and so strung with truth that I felt a tightening in my throat.

_My father knew._

He knew my mother was Leumian, knew that I was a half-breed and I'm sure he knew what would happen when he sent me here.

I feel sick as I realize the depth of my father's manipulation.

A politician.

Never a father.

My head falls back, my eyes connect with Edward's, and I whisper my horrified suspicions. "What if the King was right?"

Nausea so different from what I associated with my quick pregnancy rolled over my skin, a dull prickling of electricity in my brain signaling the severity of my anxiety.

Edward runs a soothing hand over my short hair. "It does not change anything. We are mated. You and our child will be safe."

"But what if I'm playing a role in a plan-"

"Then we will deal with that if the time comes."

Edward sounds so strong and assured.

Like the Prince that he is.

He changes the subject abruptly, sliding off the bed and pulling a sleek box from underneath a particularly fluffy fur.

"This is for you," he smiles, kissing my jaw with an open mouth.

I take the flat box, surprised at the weight. "What is it?"

"A tradition."

I glance at him, feeling my brows raise.

"On Leumin, it is traditional for the mate of a pregnant female to gift the mother of his child with a special stone. Most often, the first stone is fashioned as a piece of jewelry. Open it," he nudges me, unable to hold in the wide, fang-flashing grin taking over his face.

I force my eyes away from his face and look at the box resting in my hands.

I open it.

I gasp.

The chain is short and delicate, silver-hued but darker, like ancient pewter. I can sense the heavy percentage of metal in the chain – and the heavier percent in the stone itself.

To call it a stone was almost insulting. It is a gem, silver in the center and seeming to branch across the color spectrum as I turn the box; every angle revealed a new color, more mesmerizing than the last.

"We call it lormaline," he tells me, lifting the chain from the box and slipping it over my head. The stone rests snugly in the center of my chest, a warm weight that seems to excite the small child in my womb.

The baby flutters, as if trying to be more near to the lormaline stone. I tell Edward as much and he nods.

"The stone is soothing to the child," he confirms, his hand drifting down to cover my naked stomach again.

I hadn't bothered to get dressed today, as Edward had been insistent on seeing the growth of our child.

I didn't mind – and I couldn't argue against his pleading face. This was his, our, first child. He is excited to be a father, excited to see my body change as a direct result of supporting the life we made.

I could never deny him.

My fingers flutter lightly over the gem, soothing sparks touching my fingertips with every caress. I feel tied to this stone, a certain familiarity though I hadn't ever been around lormaline to my knowledge.

My mind analyzed the metal content again, my brows furrowing at the sheer density. "What else is lormaline used for?"

Edward's fingers continue their mindless play on my stomach. "Lormaline is very important on Leumin," he begins, his voice serious. "I believe humans mine coal, yes? Leumian's mine lormaline, going deep into caves and natural voids on the planet to dig it out. Raw lormaline falls off in thick sheets and, when harnessed right, can be used as an energy resource. Actually, all of the energy in the palace runs off a lormaline slab. The stone, as I'm sure you can tell, has vast amounts of energy. Something about that energy sooths pregnant females and their children."

I nod, taking in all of his soft-spoken facts.

"I didn't know Leumin had those types of resources."

Edward pauses his hand and looks up at me. "We protect that information."

Of course.

The lack of information on Leumin suddenly makes sense and, with a pit forming in my stomach, I wonder if their secret had ever been leaked.

Did my mother trust my father enough to reveal her home planet's most critical secret?

I hoped not.

"Leumian's can also control lormaline," Edward says.

And then, as I am absorbing the meaning of his words, the gem around my neck floats over my head, Edward's hand raised and directing the stone as it moves seamlessly around the room.

Of course, the baby fusses, fluttering in my stomach as the lormaline moves further away and, upon noticing the sudden distress on my face, Edward hastily returns the necklace to me.

Once the warm gem is laying on my chest, I whisper my astonishment. "That was amazing."

Edward quirks his lips, much like a human man might quirk his brows. The expression seems to hold more significance with the hairless Leumian. "You do the exact thing, Bella."

My face heats slightly. I do, to an extent. Perhaps my affinity with metal – and apparently lormaline with its high metal content – stems from the Leumian part of my heritage.

The thought is slightly comforting, like a mystery finally solved. My second talent had always been a looming question over my head. It was almost as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders, one less concern over the wellbeing of my mind.

Eventually, Edward reluctantly left our room – our chambers, as he called them – to fetch food for us. He didn't trust any of the maids and, apparently, it was another unspoken Leumian tradition for the male to provide special food for his mate. Leumian's believed that the food eaten during pregnancy affected the strength and mental capabilities of the child. I didn't find this theory too odd, as human women thought the same thing.

With the lormaline around my neck, warming my skin just enough to ward off the chill that had taken over my body since I became pregnant, I no longer felt as tired as I did before Edward gave me the gem.

I wondered if the Leumian's realized how many talents the stone seemed to have.

As I was not tired, my mind began to roam more freely and soon, the need to be on my feet became unbearable. I had always been a mobile person, active with my limbs. I might have been able to attribute this trait to my Leumin heritage.

I stand carefully and pull on a silky smooth robe, the light blue hem floating half a foot around my feet, dragging the floor with every step I took. The sleeves were loose and bell-shaped. It might be the one piece of female Leumian clothing that allowed the shoulders to be covered. Edward said it was because primarily pregnant females wore it.

My brain was still reacting slightly to the lormaline on my skin, the gem igniting the need to use my second talent.

I couldn't resist.

Automatically, I began warming up with the light metal objects that were around the room. Control came back to me quickly, though it had been far too long since I had used telekinesis.

The heavy metal content of the lormaline was taunting me.

A challenge.

Focusing my attention on the gem was easy.

Moving the gem even a quarter of an inch from my chest was not.

I hadn't ever come across such a high metal content in such a small object. Lormaline made steel feel easy, though steel was what I struggled with most on Earth.

I frown, thinking of the ease Edward had with lormaline.

Most likely, my half-human blood was hindering me.

Still, I push for more. I push until my head begins to throb and an almost nervous fluttering in my stomach prompts me to stop. The baby knew I was pushing myself too hard.

So did Edward.

"What are you doing?" Edward demands, rushing into the room, his jaw clenched tight, his odd hair standing up at awkward angles atop his head.

I had never seen him so angry.

His fangs were even poking at his bottom lip.

"Are you trying to injure yourself?"

Immediately, I feel guilty. I hadn't been thinking and that wasn't like me. I always analyzed everything before making a decision, but this time I hadn't.

I had been selfish.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, feeling my eyes tearing up.

Edward's face softens and he pulls me tightly towards his chest, one hand moving down to rub my stomach where it is trapped between us. "I know. But you must never do that again," he orders, and then pauses. "That is not fair. You must never do that _alone_ again," he amends, running a large hand over the curve of my back. "I wouldn't want either of you to be harmed."

"I wasn't thinking. I just missed it…"

"Understandable. It is a big part of your life. But it is also dangerous, _ta'jema_."

I feel my brows furrow at the odd word. I try to emulate the noise, but find that I can't roll the pause between syllables like Edward did.

Edward huffs out a laugh and repeats the word.

"What does it mean?"

"It is old Leumian," he tells me, moving us towards the bed where he had put down a dome of food. "It means desire or love. _Ta'jema_."

I smile. "It is very beautiful."

Edward touches a finger to my nose. "You are very beautiful. And so is our hungry child."

The dome is pulled away from the food and I feel my eyes widen at the wide array of aromas, textures and colors.

"The chef recommended I bring a variety, as pregnant females often have cravings."

I nod absently, silently agreeing with him because, for some reason, the piece of purple fruit that seemed to be covered in a feather-like shell looked delicious. I reached for it, and as if I had always eaten it, I methodically pull off the feathers.

It was not a fruit, Edward later explained to me after I had eaten four of them. It was, apparently, a type of vegetable with seeds. I equated it to an odd looking tomato, though it was more sour than sweet.

After eating, a sudden bout of exhaustion won over my body and I succumbed to a deep sleep, Edward's body wrapped almost completely around mine, as if shielding me from the air and light.

I dream of a child with vibrant turquoise eyes, fair skin and her father's blond to bronze hair. She is beautiful and I almost feel, upon waking, that the child growing inside me had given me a preview of the future.

Edward is extremely reluctant to let me out of our chambers, but I insist upon it as I miss Rosalie and Alice. Both had tried to visit me two days ago, but Edward had thwarted them, growling something fierce and not allowing them to see into the room.

I could not be annoyed at him.

It was the Leumian way.

Upon entering the throne room where food had already been set on the wide table, the Queen and her daughter smile widely at me. The dress I am wearing completely conceals my stomach between the folds of fabric but the Queen already knows of the pregnancy. I assume she shared the news with Rosalie.

She did not, however, inform her husband.

I feel his eyes hot on the chain around my neck before I hear his enraged roar.

Then the harsh sound of clattering chairs and plates.

Then Edward's strong arms pulling me behind his body and pressing me against his back, his body tensing and ferocious growls escaping his rumbling chest.

"She carries a demon!" The King yells. I can hear the sounds of his struggling and assume Emmett or Jasper have restrained him, though I didn't have time to register their presence in the room. It must be them, though; because they are the only Leumian's brave enough and strong enough to fight against the King while Edward is protecting me. The servants would be too scared.

I feel my body tremble with unrestrained fear in response to his words, my arms crossing over my stomach and my back hunching over, my head pressed into Edward's spine.

Protecting my child.

I feel a flicker of electricity flowing over my skin and fight against the twitch in my brain that prompts me to move metals. Now would not be the ideal time to reveal that to the King.

"Carlisle!" The Queen cries, horrified. I hear a sharp slap and can almost see her hand hitting his face because the entire room quiets in stunned silence. And then, I hear the quick sound again and the Queen's furious voice. "That is our grandchild. A little Prince. A tiny Princess. You _will not_ ever say that again."

"I will say what I want!"

"Bella has more right to your throne than you do," the Queen declares. Her voice is cold.

The King hisses.

And I consider her words. It hadn't ever occurred to me that I do, technically, have more of a right to reside over Leumin than Edward's family does. I don't want that power, but it is mine. It runs in my blood.

I have nothing to fear from the King.

The realization straightens my spine, presses my lips together and gives me the courage to stop hiding behind Edward. I step away and around him, taking in the scene before me.

The Queen's hand is still raised, both of the King's cheeks an angry red, his body limp between the tight grips of Emmett and Jasper.

A ghost of Edward's fingers run over the curve of my shoulder.

I step close to the King, feeling the zings of electricity flowing freely on my skin. If I were to touch him, he would drop to the ground, unable to move for the next hour. I clutch my fingers into the dress.

"I do not want you're throne," I say softly, slowly so he can hear only clearly. "I want to live with _my mate _in peace. Our child will be born into a peaceful life and will be cherished. And," I pause, letting the electricity on my sky grow until I can feel the hair on my head standing away from my face. "If you mean to harm my child, I will end you."

The King's eyes widen. "That's treason!"

I straighten my chin and step forward. He flinches. "It is not. As your Queen so kindly pointed out, I _do_ have more right to the throne. I would be safe from prosecution."

I watch as understanding dawns on the King's face.

He so easily forgot my lineage – perhaps it is not as big of a concern as he lets on.

"But I do not want your crown. Not like this."

I force my body to relax as I step away, my hair settling against my scalp smoothly. Edward pulls me into his arms, ignoring the residual sting as our skin touches. His hand drifts down to my stomach, carefully caressing the ever-growing bump – the baby flutters again and I smile slightly.

The King rushes past us, out of the room.

The thick silence doesn't last long, as Alice asks me about the baby.

We eat in peaceful company and return to our chambers. I fall asleep almost immediately.

When I wake, Edward eagerly – yet gently – slides his fingers through the slickness of my core. He removes his mouth from my breast and instead begins to nip at my ears and throat.

Before he enters me, Edward peppers my stomach with tiny kisses, sweetly whispering to our child.

Inside me, he just barely thrusts, keeping his pelvic bone tight to mine so that he is almost constantly rubbing against my clit. It keeps me on the precipice, slowly driving me mad until my entire body is burning with need. I buck up, frustrated and groaning.

Edward grins; moving his hands so one holds my wrists above my head and the other forces my hips to remain flat against the bed. He moves even slower, making sure that he brushes up against the most sensitive parts of my core as he pivots his hips.

"My brave little mate," he growls, licking a hot trail from my collarbone to my neck.

My core clenches and he stops completely, waiting for several seconds until the flush on my chest recedes again. When he does move, his pattern is random – smooth and slow, quick, then one hard thrust before he presses his hips close to mine again and barely pushes in and out.

I clench again and he stops, tugging on my ear. "Mother of my child," he breathes.

And then, he moves in earnest, moving to rest on his knees and tilting my hips up as his thrusts quicken, his hands tight on my body so I cannot dream of moving.

We release at the same time, a breathy moan for me as my climax stretches on - and Edward with a rumbling growl, his bright eyes locked with mine.

I am still shuddering as Edward pulls me close to his chest, kissing my lips gently.

"You were so appetizing in your sleep," he tells me, stroking my flesh with a smooth hand. "I could not resist."

"Is it safe for the baby?"

I knew that sex during pregnancy was safe on Earth, but perhaps it was different on Leumin.

Edward chuckles. "Of course. My release does have certain enzymes that are important for development. In fact, I should claim you more often."

And so, he did. This time he spread my legs wide and placed my knees on his shoulders so that my body was folded in on itself.

Later, after a long soaking bath, Edward escorts me to a large room that was much like the ancient ruined library of the Skye palace.

"I must meet up with Elder, here. Feel free to roam. The room is safe."

I knew the contents of the scroll had been eating at Edward's mind and, in light of that; I refused to leave his side. I rather liked his presence and I wanted to support him.

The elder's skin was papery and burnt sienna in color, his eyes wise and golden. He bowed deeply to me for a much longer time that he bowed to Edward, showing his respects to the life growing within me as well.

"Much of the scrolls were damaged in the ruins, I'm afraid," he tells Edward, his voice scratchy and low.

"Could anything be recovered?"

"Oh, yes. Mind you, it did take some time and the language is more ancient than I initially thought."

Edward examines the opened scroll, the dirty paper that is ripped, eroded and burnt in random spaces. "What does it say?"

"It is a prophecy."

I furrow my brows. "What kind of prophecy? One that has been fulfilled?"

The elder looks at me with a wise smile. "Not yet, Small Queen."

"What does it say?" Edward asks again, squinting his eyes at the scroll.

"There will be a child born of mixed blood who will protect the planet from the enemies who will destroy for our stone."

The elder let's that sink in before he continues.

"It is not clear if the child has been born yet," he tells us, glancing at me pointedly. "It is also unclear if the enemies will be new or old. The only thing that does seem possible is that the stone it speaks of must be lormaline. It is the highest object of value on Leumin."

My fingers touch my necklace as my mind races.

Surely the enemy is my father.

If he knew my mother was Leumian, then he might have known about lormaline.

But will this protector be me?

Or my unborn child?

Edward quietly thanks the elder and pays him, though the elder politely refuses any form of payment, citing his joy of being so helpful to the crown.

We are both lost in our thoughts as we walk back to our chambers.

We did not expect to find the King waiting patiently outside our door.

Before I can blink in surprise, Edward crouches before me, the majority of my body hidden behind his.

"I mean no harm," the King says, raising his hands to show the lack of weapons. "I have come to give my greatest apologies."

That stops Edward's growl cold.

He stands, warily looking at his father and still hiding my body from his father's sight.

"I have been wrong. Your mate did not deserve any-"

"You're right. She didn't," Edward interrupts coldly.

The King sighs. "I will prove my change of being, son."

And as the King walks away, I silently accept his apology, though none of it was spoken directly to me.

There were more important things to worry about now.

I close my eyes and press my lips onto Edward's back.

Things would be changing quickly.

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><p><strong>AN: questions answered, I hope? SAT's are this Saturday for me, so I'm not sure when the next chapter will be out. We shall see!**

**_JessJess76_ – your review left me smiling! I'm glad everyone wants to smack the stupid out of my Carlisle!**

**_v-alice_ – you are sweeter than pecan pie! You deserve a trillion cookies!**

**_handsdowntoo_ – hope I didn't disappoint!**

**_james3142_ – about time someone smacked Carlisle, huh? Lol**

**_telaviv_ – surely a lawsuit would be worth it? Kidding, kidding. Keep "SQUEE"ing!**

**_Twilight Rocker 12_ – sure you're not making them up? Lol I Googled them to check! Challenge for this week is….W. You're so hairy!**

**_PeaceLoveEmpathy_ – loved your rant!**

**_YesMyRealNameIsBella_ – seriously, are you in my head picking out the plot? Lol**

**Special shout out to _PanteraFenix Negra_! Thanks for reading!**

**And extra special shout out to the first review of the last chapter - _aixa00_, who had a really good question. As a human, while her Leumian side was more dormant – because Leumian females come into "puberty" at 17 – Bella had regular periods. Heat is different in that there is a lot of blood very quickly but it stops just as fast and that is the best time for a Leumian female to get pregnant. The first heat is the most painful.**

**I just want to thank everyone who puts me on Author Alerts, Favorite Author lists, Story Alerts and Favorite Story lists. Really, you guys blow me away - and blow up my inbox. There's so many that I couldn't possibly keep up with the names, but I do appreciate it.  
><strong>

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.**

**~ cupcakeriot**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight! Trust me, I don't wanna!**

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><p><strong>CHAPTER ELEVEN<strong>

"_So don't, don't let me go  
>Just let me know<br>That growing up goes slow."_

_~ Christina Perri_

Slithering voices fill the space, the crescendo rising until a clatter rings out. The Chief, a gargantuan beast with his race's flat nose and bald head, sits with his long limbs crossed at the head of the table. His skin is scaly and glints pale in the muted light of his cavern.

"Our resssourcesss tell usss the girl hasss the gem, Sssire," a servent tells his leader, bowing so low that his head touches the ground.

The Chief nods simply and looks at me.

"And you have control over thisss girl?"

I force my face into a mask I am familiar with. I wasn't sure I had ever had control over her.

But that wouldn't stop me from forging on with my plan.

The plan that I had been developing since I first laid eyes on the gem that hung from _her_ wrist.

The plan that would make me the most powerful man in the universe.

"Of course," I lie, folding my hands under my chin and leaning towards the Chief. "What else do your resources say?"

The Chief's slim mouth slides into a sly grin. "Their plant sssoulssss sssstart ssssoon. We think the Prince will take hissss bride to ssseee."

I press my lips together, frustrated by his taunting information. This was my plan – he is my contact. He should not be drawing out his information.

But he also has one of the most advanced militaries in the known planets, even if he had not been admitted into the Seven.

Instead of lashing out, I breathe through my nose and nod. "Why would he do that?"

As far as I knew, the Leumian Prince was very reluctant to take a bride not of his own choosing, though he had bowed to the pressure of his father, the King. I had hoped his disposition would remain stiff, hoped he would not warm to his arranged marriage.

I had counted on it, even, thinking that perhaps he would be more willing to negotiate with me in exchange for a subtle removal of his bride. Something I could make to look like an accident.

Something that had been festering inside since her face had developed into an exact replica of her mother's.

The Chief's forked tongue pokes out from between his thin lips. "Sssshe issss with child," he hisses gleefully. "The sssssource tellsssss usss that it issss Leumian tradition. Traditional foolssss!"

Child.

She is pregnant.

I had known her mother was pregnant, sooner than I had expected. I had gotten angry, thinking she had been with another before our simple wedding, not understanding her pure-bred Leumian heritage until she had confessed, weeping and kneeling at my feet. Her tiny body had been in the first few weeks of the pregnancy, but I could have sworn it was several months into the gestation. She had brokenly told me of her family, explaining her quick departure and the significance of the silver gem she wore on her wrist.

Something pangs in my stomach, almost like guilt. But I squash it down.

I had not felt guilt since I took the lormaline off her mother, wanting more than anything to satisfy my curiosity about the stone. I hadn't felt guilt since I realized that a prolonged absence of the stone caused a sickness on her already fragile body that could not be reversed.

I had not felt guilt since seeing my daughter's pale face crying over her mother's grave on Earth.

And again, I force the guilt away – there is no use for it, not any more. I had concocted this plan years ago and I would not be backing down from it.

The death of my wife had hardened me, had made me resent the face of my daughter, made me resent the life of my daughter and most importantly, the secrecy of the Leumin planet.

Had they allowed any one of the Seven to know a single detail about their people, maybe my wife's life could have been saved.

But it was all hidden.

Everything except for lormaline hidden from every person in the universe. Everyone except me.

And now, the Chief.

And his people.

No, it was too late now.

It did not matter if the girl was pregnant with a Leumian bastard.

There was no turning back now.

* * *

><p>Edward leads me through the rounded walls of the palace, his arm firm around my waist, pulling me tight against his side. He does this because as of late, my balance had been off. It might have had something to do with the growing bump on my stomach or my inability to see my feet clearly without having to bend over.<p>

He also does this to ward off any advances of other males, though I can't imagine that happening – who would be dull enough to approach the pregnant mate of the Prince?

We are rushing to what Edward calls the Gathering. From what I could understand, this Gathering worked like a house of Parliament.

On the far side of the mountain palace, Edward directs us into a spacious room full of various large pillows and void of any other people. Confused, I look up at Edward, my brows furrowed and my hand resting on my stomach.

Edward's fangs are poking through his lecherous grin and with a wave of instant arousal washes through my body.

"I've always wanted to do this," he confesses, drawing us further into the room after securing the locks on the automated door.

"So, there's not a meeting?"

"There is. _Later_."

His mouth is hungry and soft on mine, applying a light suction to my bottom lip so the blood rushes up to greet him through my skin. My entire body sings for him; his hands wandering to my exposed shoulders, to my bare back until he discovered the dainty button holding my dress together on my left hip. The garment drops to the floor with a whisper and then Edward's lips follow his hands – down my neck, lavishing my collarbones with licks, adoring my breasts with nips.

My hands twist into his wild hair as he lays us down on one of the larger pillows, a warm fur of blue, softer than velvet. He pauses at my stomach, murmuring to our child, confessing his love again while looking directly into my eyes.

And then, I am on my knees since my stomach has grown so quickly, not even two weeks into my first month. Edward's legs are tight against my own, his groin pressed against my backside and his hands steady on my hips.

Without more warning than a quick swipe between my dripping lips, he plunges in to his hilt, forcing himself into a too tight place.

We moan in unison.

I feel myself clenching around him and he growls, pressing his hips forward more as if he isn't completely inside of me. His pelvis rotates in a slow grind against my backside, his manhood twitching inside me.

I pant.

Edward slowly pulls out, hissing, only to press in quickly again. Over and over. Slow then fast. Slow again.

Soon, his hand migrate to my thighs and he forces me to close them – and this makes it much more difficult for him to press inside me. It also makes the sensations so much more intense and, before I can understand what is happening, I am climaxing twice in a row, every motion he makes rubbing against secret, fabulous places inside me.

Edward growls with his own climax and pants, his breath hitting the back of my neck as he moves us to lay on our sides.

Eventually, we move to clean up and I realize with a touch of embarrassment that I can smell us in the air.

Edward merely grins at my pink cheeks.

He is too proud for his own good.

The members of the Gathering do not blink an eye at the scent of our mating, though some shoot Edward knowing looks.

Every member is a different shade, some females though the Gathering is predominately male. They each bow to me and Edward, low to the ground until their heads almost touch the floor.

The King enters last and he seats himself on a pillow on a slightly raised area of the room. He holds in his hand a small gavel-like object adorned with a small lormaline jewel.

He calls the meeting to order.

I begin to piece together the inner-workings of Leumian government.

When the Skye Clan ruled, the Leumian's were obviously under the rule of a dictator. But when Edward's family took over, more importantly his grandfather, there seems to have been a shift in the basis of the government.

Leumian's had always had a primary ruler and that had not changed. What had changed was the role of the ruler – and it was obvious that the head monarch was now limited in his power. Instead, he seemed to be the head of the Gathering, like a Prime Minister of ancient England. The King had only the power to direct majority rule and enforce those decisions.

He was merely the face of the operation.

I think that, perhaps, King Carlisle didn't like that.

My father certainly doesn't like his limited power.

Why would a Leumian King be any different?

My mind wanders to the future, to a time when Edward is the head of the Gathering. I had the very distinct feeling that he would be grateful not to carry all the power.

I glance at Edward's profile, his angular nose and sharp jaw, as he follows the complicated conversation around him, members of the Gathering letting their speech fall into native Leumian tongue. When Edward offers his opinion, he also speaks in his first language.

I think of all the secrets that had been hidden from the Seven planets, the secrets the Leumian hold dear and close to their chests. The secrets they protect. Now, those secrets were mine – the lormaline, the scrolls, the language, the weather of the planet, the people, the tiny fish in the clear sea.

A smile touches my lips as my hands rest on my stomach.

My child would share these secrets too.

The Gathering ends on a solid note, several key decisions evidently settled. The King pays us very little mind, nothing more than a passing glance, as he is followed out of the room by several members of the Gathering.

I find that I am perfectly happy with being ignored by him.

"There is something I wish to show you tonight," Edward murmurs, leaning his body over mine as we exit the room.

His arms return to their reserved positions around my waist, his pace slowing to match mine. It seemed the larger I grew, the slower I needed to walk. My body before the pregnancy was slight, but I – and Edward – had noticed several changes. Namely my breasts, which had begun to swell slightly. My skin had also taken on a pinkish hue, something the Queen had assured me was normal for Leumian women; the color is more prominent on me simply because my skin is so pale.

I furrow my brows, my head tilting up to look into his vibrant eyes. "What is it?"

Edward grins, shaking his head.

So this would be a secret.

Rubbing my hand over my stomach, I find that I am perfectly fine with the secret.

So far, none of Edward's surprises had been disappointing.

Instead of pressing for the subject of his surprise, I redirect my curiosity. "The sun is setting now. Should we leave?"

Nodding eagerly, Edward directs us towards our chambers. "I want you to be warm," he tells me, digging through a small chest that is pressed against the rounded walls of our room. He pulls out a cloak similar to the one he had worn several weeks ago, except that this cloak was made much smaller and in a soft, short grey fur.

He delicately places the cloak on my shoulders, fastening the front with a smooth tie that closed the cloak from my waist to my neck. The hood he pulls over my head is deep and light, but I can feel the protective warmth around my head and ears where the material had been doubled. The cloak flares out from my waist in soft ripples, leaving plenty of room for my legs to move and for my growing stomach, the hem just barely grazing the ground.

Kneeling before me, Edward slides my feet into tall boots that are slightly larger than my normal size, my feet beginning to swell from the accelerated pregnancy.

He kisses my hands before he stands and dawns his own cloak before leading me out of our rooms with an easy earnest smile on his face.

My mind wanders to his cold expressions and words he displayed my first days here. I would never have thought that this kind being was hiding beneath that rough personality.

The nature outside of the palace is tranquil, darkening gently until everything is bathed in a deep purple hue.

"We call it _Lom'tsu_," Edward begins, guiding me through the dense forest towards the clear waters.

I glance around, searching for what he is talking about and failing to see anything different in my surroundings.

Stopping, Edward moves to stand behind me, pressing his chest against my back; the tops of my shoulders press against the pectoral muscles of his lean build. Carefully, he lines our hands up, his fingers pressing through the spaces of my hand.

We stand in front of a wide, billowing tree, the leaves large and rounded and the trunk low to the ground.

Edward reaches our hands forward until my finger just barely grazes the smooth leaf.

And the most magnificent thing happens.

The leaf, which had been dark and plain before, bursts into light, like millions of pixels suddenly coming to life in neon blue and green and silver.

I gasp and draw our hands back, stunned at the display. The baby flutters at my accelerated heart rate and Edward lets out a low, rumbling laugh.

"_Lom'tsu_ only happens a few times a year, when the binary moons are on the same cycle. At night, for that entire cycle, the souls of the plants are visible."

"It's amazing," I murmur. "Is it all plants?"

His arms move and wrap around my waist, resting lightly over the cloak on my stomach. "Blooming _neit'tsads_ are the most interesting."

I close my eyes, still dazzled by the _Lom'tsu_, and lean against his chest. "Will you show me?"

Edward presses a kiss against my temple, humming against my skin. "Of course."

And so, he does.

_Neit'tsads_ are fairly large flowers, much like the rare orchids of Earth, with silver petals and leaves. When my fingers traced the edges of the petals, the _Lom'tsu_ shines in pinks and purples.

It really looked like the soul of the flower.

"I thought you might have liked to see that," Edward tells me later, smiling into the skin above my stomach. He had just finished bathing me in some mineral _Lom'tsu_ produced from the tiny dots of light that rolled off the plants. Evidently, the mineral was beneficial to the fetus.

As I didn't feel too different yet, I would take his word. For all I knew, only the baby would be able to feel the effects.

"I wanted to talk to you about something," he starts, his voice far more hesitant than I had ever heard it. My hand moves into his hair, ruffling the thick strands and scratching at his scalp.

Edward's eyes close and he nuzzles into my skin. "Eey wann tuu puut uh gorde un yew," he mumbles, pressing his mouth into my stomach so that the words are muffled.

"What?" I laugh, tugging lightly on his hair.

He moves his face so that his cheek is pressed against the warm cocoon of our child. "I want to put a guard on you," he says again, staring me directly in the eyes with so much conviction in his statement that I wondered why he would even hesitate to tell me in the first place.

And then a streak of independence flashes across my mindscape and I purse my lips at him. "Why?"

Edward's fingers trace random patterns on my shoulder. "I don't trust my father," he says simply, shrugging with a forced nonchalance.

I sympathized with his plight – he wanted, more than anything, to believe his father wouldn't harm his wife and child, but also knew that, based on the King's behavior, that wasn't a likely possibility.

The King didn't trust me.

Edward didn't trust the King.

It was as simple as that, Edward's loyalty to his father falling second to his loyalty to his mate.

That was the Leumian way.

I sigh, deeply troubled by the contentions my presence has brought to this planet. "Who would it be?"

"Jasper."

I considered his choice for a moment. As far as I knew, Alice was very busy during the day and Jasper was currently in a sort of vacation status. He had to have been bored and, by guarding me, I would be helping one I considered a friend.

I nod and Edward leans up, capturing me in a tight embrace. "Did you hear that, baby?" He asks the growing bump of my stomach, glancing at me out of the corner of his eyes with a tiny grin on his face. "Your _Mol'a_ says I can give her and you a guard."

I gather that _Mol'a_ must equate to mother in Leumian tongues – and I like the fluidity of the word, the slight roll of the l's.

"You're ridiculous," I tell him, a smile breaking out over my face.

"I adore you," he answers, kissing my face several times before pulling the heavy furs on the bed over my body and molding himself around my body, practically purring in contentment.

I yawn, sudden exhaust taking over but I manage to breathe out a low, "I adore you, too."

The following morning, Edward greets my sleepy eyes with a kiss and a sad revelation. "I have business outside of the palace with my father."

Immediately, I frown – missing him already even though he was laying beside me, cuddling my body close to his much larger frame. "So then this is Jasper's first day?"

Edward nods, pressing kisses onto my hairline where my bangs had flipped away from my forehead during the night. I sigh, accepting the hopefully brief separation – it shouldn't have come as such a surprise, anyway. I was almost certain I had heard something about a trip outside of the palace yesterday when the Gathering had spoken in a dialect I understood.

We dress, Edward in much sleeker, brighter clothes than I am used to, with a fur sash around his left shoulder and I in a subdued plum colored dress that draped around my larger stomach neatly. By the time we enter the throne room, I am ravenous, my baby squirming and fluttering and hungry.

I can hardly wait for the King to enter, my fingers tangling together as time passes. We cannot eat before the King and they will not serve the food until he has arrived. Edward attempts to sooth me, running his large hand down my spine.

The King enters swiftly with the Queen, pointedly not looking anyone in the eye. As she sits across from me, the Queen shoots me an apologetic smile, smoothing her dress over her thighs.

As soon as my food is placed before me, I dig in, sighing in relief as the burning in my stomach calms and my baby gratefully settles in my womb.

A chuckle echoes in the room, deep and surprised.

My eyes shoot up to the source – the King.

He is pressing his lips together, his eyes wide in shock and amusement. The rest of the table is staring at him in wonder as another laugh escapes him.

I furrow my brows, absently chewing food as I wonder about his change of heart – what had happened in the last day that had allowed him to drop his cold façade?

Yesterday, he had ignored both Edward and I unless absolutely necessary and, just now as he entered the room, that behavior had remained unchanged.

Until I had begun eating, that is.

The King realizes the gaze of his family on him and lets out a gust of air, bowing his head to hide his face.

"I'm sorry for the way I've acted," he blurts, raising his face and looking directly at me for the first time since he'd met me. "You didn't deserve it."

I swallow and clear my throat, sitting up straighter. "No, I didn't."

The Queen gazes at her mate with curiosity as he runs his hands through his hear in an all-too familiar fashion, the same gesture the Edward often used. "I had thought, with your background, you were here to take my throne, my son's throne. But, yesterday, the interest you showed in the Gathering was anything but malicious. It was clear to me that you simply wanted to understand the Leumian ways and I apologize for not seeing that sooner. And," he pauses, a natural smile falling across his angular features. "I should apologize for being late this morning. I should know better than to keep a pregnant female waiting for her food. In fact," he raises his voice, talking to the servants who stood, stunned, against the far walls of the room. "The _Princess_ is to be served food immediately upon sitting. She is with child and should not have to wait for me to eat."

I consider his change, though it rather abrupt and realize that it would do no good for me to hold a grudge against him.

There was something very trustworthy about the King, even when he was at his worst.

And he had publicly declared me a Princess, which was no small thing.

I smile at him, a note of understanding passing between us, and turn back to my food. Eventually, the rest of the table resumes eating and we finish our meal in comfortable, peaceful silence.

That is, until Edward is done and begins to address Jasper, who had been one of the first to finish eating. Without beating around the bush, Edward bluntly tells Jasper of his idea. "I want you to informally guard Bella."

Jasper twists his mouth in an expression of surprise before settling into a solemn line of acceptance. "Is there a particular reason?"

Edward tries to shrug nonchalantly, but there is a certain tension in his shoulders that prevents him from doing so.

Jasper presses on. "There must be a reason and it certainly isn't because of any threats. I would know about it."

The rest of the table looks on in silence as Edward sighs. "Can I not have my pregnant mate guarded during the times of day when I am not with her? She is with my child. I will not take any risk with those lives."

I touch my hand to his thigh, in a gesture meant to be calming and he sighs again.

"I think it's a good idea," the King states.

Beside him, the Queen nods, looking from her husband to her son. "I was guarded during your pregnancy, too, Edward."

And, with that, Jasper accepts his new role with gusto. As Edward and the King depart, he begins to shadow me – a calming presence that seems to simply observe the people around me. This is a side of Jasper that I had not yet seen, a cool exterior – calculating and stern.

He was especially stern when I removed the lormaline from around my neck and began to center my energy on it, determined to master the gem because it was a challenge and I always pushed past challenges.

"You shouldn't do that," he tells me, crossing his arms across his broad chest.

"Yes I can," I insist, turning my eyes to the silver rainbow stone.

"You might get hurt and then Edward will never forgive me."

"I need to master this!"

"You need to rest!"

"Tell me how you control the lormaline. Do you focus on it? Is it an innate skill?"

Jasper sighs, pulling his hand down his face. "I can't explain it. We can…tap into the essence of the stone and control it like that."

And so I try to find the lormaline's essence – a very different concept than what I had taught myself how to do. It wasn't the essence of the metal that I grasped, it was the molecules of the metal.

Lormaline seemed to lack molecules.

I sigh heavily, frustrated, a rub my eyes.

Jasper's shoes make a scuffling sound and I look up from where I am seated on the floor of the library.

The King is smiling kindly. "My son probably wouldn't like you doing that."

"You're right," I agree tiredly.

The King moves to sit across from me, much to the dismay of Jasper. But I didn't mind it – the King reminded me of what a father should be. Fiercely protective, but soft and helpful as well.

I certainly hadn't know those traits from my own father.

But I would gladly accept them from the King.

"Close your eyes," he instructs and I do so. "You need to learn how to do this, for your own protection. Now, can you find the lormaline?"

I nod, locating the heavy metal content easily but unable to feel the magnetized ions through the dense material.

"Can you feel the magnetized energy around the stone?"

I frown, forcing myself from the molecular search in favor of an unfamiliar concept. Of course, I had accidentally lifted heavy magnetized metals when I was much younger but it was another thing entirely to do so on purpose.

"When you find that small magnetic field – the essence – simply think of what you want lormaline to do. It's as easy as that."

I bite my lips and search for that essence, finding it quickly – far more quickly than I hoped. I wondered how I had missed it as the essence was so obvious.

Before I lose my fragile hold on the stone, I open my eyes and direct lormaline to hover at eyesight.

And, as easy as breathing, the gem lefts from the ground.

I smile.

A new skill.

A new beginning.

"Wonderful.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: a few days late is better than waiting forever, right? All right, onto reviews (gosh, I feel like I'm at an awards ceremony or something!)**

**_aixa00_ – because she is seventeen and the Leumian genetic code has taken over for the most part, she will only have a heat every few months after the baby is born**

**_JessJess76 _– you're right! Charlie is proving to be much more dangerous that little ole' Carlisle!**

**_Nissa-Cullen_ – another fabulous reader and Carlisle-Charlie hater! Hopefully, now just a a Charlie hater?**

**_james3142_ – your reviews always make me so, so happy! How's the 180 attitude change now?**

**_YesMyRealNameIsBella_ – don't be late to school! D: an again, you get so close to the plot!**

**_PanteraFenix Negra_ – you're so enthusiastic!**

**_Cici G_ – are you another plot psychic?**

**_stupidlamb2010_ – miss the story no longer!**

**_Fire and Ice and Clouds_ – perhaps I answered the "why now?" question?**

**_DurtyNelly_ – if only I could speak in old-timey Renaissance like you! So, as for the alien government, they just got done with a dictator so their next leader is very very limited, more like a Prime Minister than anything else.**

**_Telaviv _– call me an intrigue contractor!**

**_Sprite007_ – stay excited! I think a certain someone is baaack!**

**And a healthy round of applause for the first review of the last chapter_, Twilight Rocker 12 _– I actually knew wanweird lol and psssh, you are funny! Next letter is….O!**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot  
><strong>


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer : I don't own Twilight! I don't wanna!**

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><p><strong>CHAPTER TWELVE<strong>

"_He needs somebody to hold to  
>His love is strong and so true<br>His arrows aiming for you  
>And he's the one that you were born to love."<em>

_~Christina Perri_

A particularly hard kick thumps against my swollen stomach, drawing a wince from me as my hand flies down to the area where a bruise is sure to form. The baby grows stronger everyday and I know I am only feeling it because of my human-nature – the skin of my stomach, once pale and smooth is now riddled with yellowing, faint bruises from my child.

I'm almost certain it's a boy.

I pat my stomach and laugh quietly, more like a breathless sigh. "I know," I tell the swollen bump, so large that my feet are virtual strangers. "You want out. Soon."

Part of me is hoping my pregnancy will be shorter than the already speedy Leumian gestations. But logic – my own logic – rules that, because of my human side, the pregnancy might be longer. And that's fine with me; I don't know how I will feel once my child is out in the world, being shared with everyone else.

But I don't know how much longer my body can hold on.

Aside from the bruising and the constant need to empty my bladder, the baby has grown so large on my small frame that the Leumian Healers are worried about natural birth. They think they might have to defy their traditions in order to save my life when it is time for my labor.

I want the natural birth, more than anything. The Queen has been recounting both of her pregnancies to me, smiling fondly as the tiny tales spill from her mouth. In a very short time, the Queen, Esme, had become a reminder of my own mother – a figure in the flesh that I had come to rely on for information and companionship and advice.

Two and a half months, I've been pregnant. And for two and a half months, Edward has grown increasingly over protective. I can't complain about it now, as with the baby's weight added to my small body, I can hardly walk, instead waddling back and forth from the waste room. Edward does not allow to be waddle further – he carries me and when I am too tired to be carried, he orders food in and stays with me. And when his Prince duties pull him away and Jasper is left to guard me, he leaves Jasper with the orders to carry be where ever I need to go.

It is almost over the top but I can hardly argue against it, even as Edward is carefully placing me into our bed, his lips grazing my forehead. "Did he kick again?"

Edward thought the baby might be a boy, too, though his reasoning was backed by Leumian medical facts – boys were bigger in the womb than girls and it showed.

I nod, once again rubbing my stomach, trying to stave off the frown from the tenderness of my newest bruise. "He's strong," I confirm, while hoping he doesn't get too much stronger.

He might break me.

"Are you tired?"

"Exhausted."

Edward laughs, a sort of rumbling chuckle from deep within his chest. "I'll get your _he'ast_ tea."

"Thank you," I murmur as he hurries to brew to foul smelling concoction that the Leumian healers prescribed for me. Since two weeks ago, it had become a nightly routine and though I absolutely loathed the tea, it really did help with the soreness of my body and I woke up slightly refreshed.

I shudder to think of what a mess I might be without that horrible tea.

Edward positions himself behind me as I drink, his nimble fingers massaging my back, tracing the dark dots on my back. Three weeks into the pregnancy, those faint freckles had tripled in size and now even I could make out a distinguishable pattern between the paces of pale skin.

Edward's breath hits the back of my neck in one quick puff and I know he has news for me – news that he didn't particularly want to share. I had suspected as much earlier, before dinner, when there was a certain tightening in his eyes and a small frown on his lips. I didn't say anything because I knew I wouldn't have to.

Edward isn't very good at keeping secrets.

"What is it?" I prod, slurping the thicker-than-milk substance and swallowing as quickly as possible.

"I have to go to the Southern Lands tomorrow."

I had been to the Southern Lands, part of a brief tour that Edward had had planned since before the pregnancy. We had to make the trip fairly quick since Edward didn't want me exposed to too many elements – but he also didn't want me to miss out on the Leumian landscapes. The trip was a compromise.

The Southern Lands are not as lush as the Northern, where the mountain palace is located. Instead, the Southern Lands are heavy with dry foliage and rough rocks and cold desert arid air. The Leumian's who live in the Southern Land also appear more rugged than the Northern, Eastern and Western Leumian's – the skin slightly more weathered, more rich in pigment and their bodies built with more bulk.

But I loved the Leumian's there, the certain lilt of their speech, their hospitality. "Is there a problem?"

Edward's arms move around my body and tighten. "No, I just need to visit for a routine check-in. I would not go, but since you are so close to delivery, I want to get all of my duties taken care of."

"I'll miss you," I tell him, glancing at his symmetrical face from over my shoulder.

He eagerly presses his lips against mine, only pulling away when our baby kicks near my ribs and I pant out a pained gasp.

Edward shifts, moving down on the bed so he is level with my stomach. "Be nice to your _Mol'a. _We do not want her hurt."

The baby seems to hear Edward and settles in my womb. I smile thankfully and finish my tea, slurring a good-night parting to my Edward before my eyes shut.

The morning is very busy, several servants shuffling through the room, assisting Edward and bringing me different dishes designed specifically for pregnant females. My appetite is voracious and I eat most of the food offered, smiling sheepishly at the stunned staff.

I had never been a big eater and, from my first weeks here, the staff knew that. I'm sure they were shocked at the change, though Edward seemed to find it amusing, muttering something about strong boys.

Jasper arrives just as Edward is leaving, his tiny mate pushing past both large males and jumping beside me on the bed, the fabrics in her arms flying around us with her bouncing movements. "We have so much to talk about!" Alice trills.

Edward laughs, kisses my stomach and my lips and leaves with a serious nod to Jasper, who is looking upon the scene in calm amusement.

Alice hardly notices, instead shoving various fabrics at me – shiny, furry, soft, smooth and all in various cool jewel tones of rich emerald, amethyst and sapphire.

I finger the fabrics. "What is all of this for?"

I couldn't imagine Alice making any more clothes; she'd been making clothes for me during the entire pregnancy and making clothes for the after-pregnancy too.

"This is for your son!"

My hand freezes and I look at Alice with my brows raised. "Son?"

"I'm certain you and Edward are having a little Prince. That's why I picked these colors. Princesses usually wear warmer colors. But little Princes? They wear cool tones. It's a Leumian tradition."

That would explain why Edward wore blacks, blues, and greens more often than not.

But my mind is drawn back to her comment – everyone is so sure that my baby will be a boy.

And I find that the thought of a little Prince sits well with me. I rub my stomach, wanting to meet him.

As if answering my thought, a kick thumps against my stomach, light enough to not cause another bruise.

Alice continues talking, eagerly relaying information in a high trill. "All Leumian babies wear the same kind of clothing, a simple sheath. But since the little Prince is a Prince, his clothing will have to be in these colors and they must be more stylized. And that's where you come in."

"I do?"

"You do! Of course you should have say in the little Prince's clothes!"

And so, with an uncharacteristic squeal, I dove into the project, inputting my opinions into the designs and delighting in the traditional sheaths that emerged.

Several times, my eyes watered, disturbing my vision with happy tears.

My baby would wear these clothes.

I knew I was being entirely too sentimental, but I couldn't help it. Alice snickered at my quivering lips, giggling something to Jasper that I don't hear.

By the time she leaves to continue working on the clothing, several servants bring in my food, already approved by Edward and Jasper to be free of harmful substances. Thankfully, that hadn't been a problem during my pregnancy.

There is a regular maid by the name of Renata who had been on my chamber's duty during my bed rest. I couldn't help but feel paranoid around her – something in the way she glanced at me, kept her head down and refused to speak put me on edge. Jasper could tell and was always quick to hurry her out of the room.

I had also fleetingly found it odd that she was only ever attending to me when Edward was gone. I filed that detail away, distracted as a rather sharp pain shot through my spine.

"Ow!"

Jasper rushes to my side after securing the code on the door. "What's wrong?"

As quickly as the pain had appeared, it vanished. Brows furrowed, I wave him off. "Can you help me up?"

Jasper steps back. "You're on bed rest, Princess."

I raise my brows at him. "I need to move, Jasper. Help me or don't, I don't care. But I need to stretch."

Jasper looks away, his face pensive, before he nods and mutters, "Edward will kill me if he finds out about this."

"He won't," I hurry to assure him, excitement rushing through my limbs

Edward was very hesitant to let me move but I had always been mobile and sitting still for several hours a day did not agree with my body. Five minuets on my feet wouldn't kill me.

I waddle a slow circuit around the room, my hands supporting my lower back. The movement feels good and soon I forget about the shocking pain that had raced through my spine.

After my walk, Jasper encourages me to eat and I do, favoring one of the odd Leumian fruits that taste like strawberries, but appear to be some mix of a hard coconut shell and the size and coloring of a mango.

Soon after, though, boredom grasps me and the lormaline around my neck appears fascinating. So fascinating, that before I even realize it, my mind is grasping onto the essence of the stone, easily hovering it above my head.

Jasper looks on with a stone face, displeased but unable to do anything about it. I had already sworn him to secrecy and even he couldn't argue that I needed to learn how to control the lormaline.

I had surpassed his skill some time ago, not needing to use my hands or even look at the gem when the essence was in my grasp. Not even the Elders could boast so much, according to Jasper. Leumian's simply didn't see the point in mastering control like I do.

But that practice is engrained in me from years on Earth honing my gifts.

Even now, so pregnant, I didn't let that habit falter. I knew I could push myself to control the lormaline and another metal at the same time.

Without closing my eyes I find another heavy metal and, instead of gaining a hold on the molecular structure, I zero in on the essence of the metal. That alternative method made controlling the metals much easier than it had ever been and I wondered why I hadn't ever thought of it before.

"Princess…"

"I'm fine," I insist, watching now as several metals revolve around the lormaline above my head. The image is comforting, like a child who has a hanging mobile above their heads and soon I am drifting into sleep, the metals finding their previous locations.

A short while later, I wake on my side to another sharp pain, this time the muscles of my back cramping up suddenly and then releasing tension. I know the time must be in the early afternoon because the sun is still high in the clear sky and Jasper is still leaning next to the entrance.

The King is also in the room, staring out the window.

Over the course of my pregnancy, as much as the Queen had become a mother figure, so had the King become a father figure – he filled a place my own father never bothered to reach.

I learned that the King, who now insisted I call him Carlisle though it was very hard for me, was primarily a historian for Leumin. He presided over the Elders who kept the history of Leumin safe, as well as preserving Leumin treasures and traditions.

He had taken to visiting me once a day and telling me stories about the planet and the people and even the Skye clan, before and after their rule turned horrendous.

I struggle to sit up, my stomach too round and heavy. Carlisle turns and hurriedly assists me with gentle hands.

"How is the young one today?"

I rub my stomach affectionately. "He's strong," I say, smiling widely when Carlisle chuckles.

"That runs in the family."

"It does?"

This was one of the few things Carlisle had yet to share with me.

"Oh, yes. When Esme was pregnant with Edward, she had been so tired all the time. He was a very hyperactive baby."

I smiled at the thought of a baby Edward – I'm sure he was absolutely adorable.

"I remember one time, Edward almost broke one of her ribs. But you see how large Edward is. He's taller than me."

"Well, this one has only bruised me. No broken bones."

"I'm happy to hear that," the King smiles. "How are you today?"

"I'm tired," I confess. "The baby has been waking me up all night and he keeps moving. I think he wants out."

Carlisle nods, his hand moving under his chin. "You are due soon. I wouldn't be surprised if he came early."

I move my hands over my swollen stomach. "I'm not sure I'm ready for that."

"When he's ready, it won't matter if you are or not," Carlisle says wisely. "Now, what do you want to hear about today?"

I ponder that for a second. There was much I knew about Leumin and the Leumian people but it was information about lormaline that my mind thirsted for. "Tell me more about lormaline," I request, shifting on the bed as an echo of that painful cramp traces along my lower back. "Where do you mine it?"

Carlisle sits back, crossing one leg over the other. "Lormaline is very rich on the planet and can be found in three main places. The smallest mine is actually in this mountain, on the southern side near the entrance to the valley. That store of lormaline is actually why this location was chosen for a palace. My father thought the lormaline would help protect the people and so far, it has. Another mine is far up north, in the frozen cap mountains. You have not been there but soon, after the baby is born, I'm sure Edward will take you to visit. Babies are often dipped in lormaline rich waters in the north. Edward was and so will your child."

"You dip the babies in frozen water?" I ask, my eyes wide and I'm sure my voice sounded half as terrified as I felt. If frozen water was anything like frozen water on Earth, then I didn't want my baby anywhere near it.

"Leumian's are strong, Bella," Carlisle says calmly. "We hardly feel the cold."

I press my lips together and nod, accepting this as a fact. The King was very open in his knowledge now. I trusted him.

"What's the last one?"

"The Southern mine," he says. "Edward is near it today. We-"

The King stops short, pressing his lips into a thin line.

He's keeping something from me.

"What is it?"

Carlisle levels me with an appraising glance, seeming to make his mind up about something.

After a moment, he sighs. "Some lormaline has gone missing."

"Missing?"

Nodding, Carlisle continues. "We keep very close track of the lormaline, so this is a very big problem, regardless of the small amount that cannot be found."

"Did a Leumian steal it?"

Carlisle shakes his head, rubbing his hands across his eyes. "It's not likely that a Leumian stole lormaline, as it is very important to our culture. But, then again, only a Leumian would have access to the mine."

"You think a Leumian betrayed Leumin," I say, confident in my surmise.

Tiredly, Carlisle nods. "I don't want to trouble you with this."

"It's my planet, too."

I believed this wholeheartedly and just as I was about to continue, a strong cramp races up my lower back and I cry out.

Instantly, Carlisle and Jasper are by my side, leaning over the bed, but it is Carlisle who's face dawns with understanding.

He turns to Jasper and, with the calm authority only a King has, he barks out his orders. "Call the Queen and Rosalie immediately. Send out word to Edward that he is to come home _now_. Go!"

Jasper hurries to do as he was told, moving methodically and quickly.

My body calms, as if the pain had never happened but, by the look on Carlisle's face, I knew another jolting cramp would come.

"What's happening?"

"Labor," he tells me calmly.

My eyes widen.

No.

No, Edward was supposed to be here for this.

And it was too soon.

"Too soon," I whimper, pressing my hands onto my stomach as if I can keep my baby inside by sheer willpower alone.

"It is never too soon," Carlisle assures me.

I want to disagree with him.

But I can't.

Warmth floods the bed underneath me and, at first, I panic, thinking I've had an accident.

The panic washes out though.

I know what that is.

My water just broke.

Jasper rushes back to us.

"Where's Edward?" I demand, my body breaking out into a light sweat.

He promised to be here.

He had to be here.

"He's on his way."

I nod and shift on the bed, stunned with another cramp – another contraction – squeezes down on my lower back and my sides. I grit my teeth against the cry of pain that threatens to come out of my mouth.

Esme enters with a frantic Rosalie behind her.

They push Carlisle to the side.

Esme takes control of the situation, instructing Rosalie and Jasper to gather warm water, cloths and blankets.

"Isn't there some Leumian tea that helps with this?"

I never thought I would ever beg for one of those horrible concoctions, but the pain is crawling up my side, my spine and I want more than anything to be safe and pain free in Edward's arms.

Esme shakes her head, pushing my hair away from my warm forehead. "I'm afraid not."

"No drugs?" I ask, looking up at her with wide eyes as she adjusts the pillows beside and behind me, creating a sort of soft nest that did nothing to comfort me. "At all?"

"You'll be okay, darling. Leumian females are strong."

"I'm half human!"

Esme smiles, joy in her eyes. "You are also Leumian."

She is right about that.

But I can hardly find comfort in that fact.

It feels like hours pass between steady contractions, long cramps and short periods of calm.

But the sun only barely moves in the sky and I know that my mind is playing tricks on me.

Time is not passing any quicker.

I try to tell myself that it's a good thing – Edward might make it on time.

But then another contraction hits and that thought flies out the window.

And eventually, I am looking at the bump of my swollen stomach I horror.

This baby is huge.

And I am not.

"He won't come out!" I yell in panic and pain as another contraction hits.

Rosalie and Alice have been steadily cooling my body with lukewarm water and cloths. Rosalie pats the hand that is squeezing her forearm tightly, hard enough to leave a deep bruise though she doesn't so much as flinch. "You'll be fine."

She doesn't speak from experience but I take her words for truth.

Rosalie had never lied to me.

Some time later, the Healer is checking my dilation during one of the stronger contractions. "It's almost time."

I glance around the room, the one face I want to see missing.

I feel like crying.

He isn't here yet.

But just as I think it, the doors slide open with astounding force and Edward is panting on the other side, crazed vibrant eyes seeking me out.

I sigh in relief.

He made it.

I tense with another contraction as Edward moves to replace the pillows behind me, taking his place, his position and holding my close, his lips pressed into the crown of my head.

And then another contraction hits.

And the Healer and Esme are telling me to push.

I do.

And I do again.

And again.

And again

And again.

Over and over, pain searing through the lower half of my body.

And then the last push, which comes quicker than I hoped.

I watch with exhausted half-lidded eyes as the Healer cradles a cloudy-clear sac in his arms, the shape of my baby visible through the membrane.

There is a short umbilical cord that Edward cuts off with his sharp claws.

When did he move from behind me?

The baby is moved into Edward's arms.

Edward carefully runs a single claw over the thin membrane, breaking it and quickly moving the soft shell off the baby's face.

"It's a boy," he murmurs, bringing our baby closer to me.

I gaze at the flush pink body and lock sight with large, round, dark eyes.

He's beautiful.

Perfect.

His hair is matted down to his head, but is dark with a reddish tint.

His bone structure is distinctively Leumian, his soft face slightly angular.

"What will you name him?" Alice asks as I bring my baby closer to my chest.

My baby nuzzles my chest and Edward holds us both close.

I smile.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This is where I ask all you lovelies to help me name the baby! Seriously, I was writing, writing, writing and then I was like "Uh…I didn't plan a name!". So yeah, I need help! Gimme all the names you think are good and either the name that comes up the most or that I like the most will be the baby's name! **

**Alright, on to my awesome reviwers and new readers and amazing favorite-story/author peoples….**

**_CrimsonRed_-_ink1792_ – I loved your review and, as a new reader, welcome! I feel I'm more romance than Sci-Fi, but it is aliens sooo….lol**

**_handsdowntoo_ – Charlie is a bit whack in the head! **

**_maysnrs_ – welcome! You made me giggle! But I hope you wont ever nearly miss your shift again!  
><em>telaviv<em> – I kind of imagine Bella has a beach ball stuck under her dresses lol The kid is huge!  
><em>james3142<em> – SAT's were…boring? I dunno lol Lom'tsu looks super cool in my head so I want to be able to experience it but…I made it up so it makes me sad! I'd watch out for Charlie more than Carlisle!  
><em>RPattSinner<em> – I know! Damn you, Charlie! Why you have to be so evil?**

**_twivampchick_ – If you know anyone that wants to make a movie….lol**

**_MissMartha_ – Yes, please, hate more on Charlie! I love it! Now if only this Edward really existed….**

**_PanteraFenix_ _Negra_ – I could never forget about my readers! You guys are so vital!  
><em>Sprite007<em> – Carlisle totally deserves a hug for this chapter, right?**

**_Cici G_ – Absolutely right! The metal is very _very_ important!**

**_Twilight Rocker_ 12 – you're just too sweet! I love your current name and the pending one! Please don't fall down any stairs – that will make me sad! Uhm, this week is…..Y words!  
><em>YesMyRealNameIsBella<em> – hmm…who is the informant? Use your psychic powers! And help me name this kid!  
><em>shar76<em> – I cannot tell a lie. I'm Abe Lincoln. **

**And big shout out to the first review of the last chapter, DoubleFate. I totally imagine the same thing! They're all from Hogwarts! XD**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.**

**~ cupcakeriot**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, at all. SM can keep all that cash!**

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER THIRTEEN<strong>

"_Can't believe my eyes  
>Could they possibly be deceiving me on the other side?"<em>

_~Christina Perri_

His eyes have changed – the color lightening from pitch black to a color that is perfectly between Edward's vibrant teal and my own icy blue, a sort of sea foam or green-tinged aquamarine. The hair that had been stubbornly stuck flat to the top of his tiny head has sprung up, a darker version of his father's hair, bronze at the roots and darkening to jet black at the tips. His skin, too, has altered – instead of the fine baby pink shade it was immediately after his birth, it has taken on a barely glazed caramel tint, as if the sun itself kissed his skin.

He is precise blend of both of us.

I see human traits in him – his chest has nipples, his limbs, while long, are not as long as a Leumian baby's might be. The tips of his ears are as pointed as mine, not sharp like Edward's. He even has very light bronze eyebrows, which have become a source of amusement for Edward.

But his Leumian side is prominent – fine, razor sharp nails, tiny fangs protruding from his gummy mouth, the shape of his face and nose.

And he has already begun experimenting with the lormaline around my neck.

I had been alarmed, of course. Not even a week after his birth, and my child was controlling the gem.

Edward, too, thought it was odd.

But we could only think my own gifts had something to do with our child's astonishing talent.

Edward's thick, jagged lines across his body had thickened with the birth of our son – a reaction to increased male hormones. He had told me when I had cried out in shock at the bolding markings.

It seemed that I was far more prone to emotional reaction since my son came into the world.

The Little Prince's own birth markings are fine, vine-like lines in curving, swirling patterns – like my own dots – instead of the jagged, sharp lines like Edward's. Edward had told me that, with age, our son's markings would grow darker.

His birth opened up a whole new side of Leumian culture and development.

There were so many things I was learning at a rapid pace – the minimal weight I had gained during the pregnancy literally dropped overnight, my diet altered to accommodate the feeding demands of my infant, Leumian babies did not cry, rather they made noiseless, tearful expressions and they ate as frequently as every few hours. And gentle Edward had become a fierce, over protective and possessive father.

The only people I had seen since the birth was my mate and my son.

I found I was just fine with that.

The isolation had drawn us closer and now, I could sense my son's distress without even having to look at him, though my eyes were constantly on his tiny body.

Even now, on the day of my sons Leumian baptism, where Edward and I would dip his body into the icy water of the Northern Caps, my eyes were drawn to his wide eyes. There is a certain curiosity, a certain intelligence that human babies did not possess in his wide-eyed sight.

He is fascinating.

"Soon, he will start growing."

I shift my gaze, meeting Edward's vibrant eyes. "What do you mean?"

Edward's hand strokes down my spine. "He has not grown since being in your womb," Edward tells me.

I look again at my son and realize the truth in my mate's statement. It was true that he is the same size now that he was when I gave birth. "A growth spurt, then?"

Edward makes a confused noise in the back of his throat. "Spurt?"

I shrug, letting out a laugh. "A human phrase," I tell him. "It just means he will grow very quickly."

"I see," Edward said, though by the way he glanced at me through the corner of his eyes, I could tell that he didn't understand. "We simply call it _growing_," he mutters, tucking me under his arm.

"So he will grow?"

Edward nods. "Very quickly, as all Leumian children do. He will appear like a toddler before he is six months old."

I stare at my infant, my baby boy and try to imagine him older in such little time. I frown. "I will miss how small he is."

Edward's lips are hot on the back of my neck, peppering tiny kisses up to the shell of my ear. "We will have many more children," he growls, lust dripping off his words.

My thighs clench.

I can feel how eager Edward is to make more Prince and Princesses.

My entire body trembles.

We had not made love – mated – since our son's birth. I was not ready, still sore and knowing that my body was not ready, yet, for another child. Edward was incredibly understanding, even citing that usually Leumian females wait until their next heat to mate.

I was not sure when my next heat would come.

But I was certain I wasn't ready to wait that long.

Far away, outside the palace, I hear the chiming of lormaline bells.

"We have to get ready," I sigh, shifting to sit up.

And just like that, Edward's attitude changes. "We'll not be going anywhere. I don't want either of you near anyone but myself-"

I touch his cheek, watching as his clenched jaw melts under my hand. "Edward, we must. It is our duty."

"I know. I just feel like something might happen."

"You worry too much."

"I hardly call it worry," he whispers. "It's more of an inkling. Something will happen."

I fold my legs under my body, kneeling in front of my mate where he is perched on the bed. "We cannot hide him away for the rest of his life. This must be done. We will be back sooner than you know."

Edward stares at me, his gaze shooting through my entire body.

We were supposed to make a trip to the Northern caps three days ago and the Leumian people were growing nervous. Alice had been sending me information daily, knowing that I would be the best person to receive it, considering Edward's mood swings. She, and the royal family, were worried about the state of the people.

And now, it was our duty to calm the masses.

We couldn't put off the baptism for any longer.

It had to be done today.

"Will you help me bathe him?" I ask, trying to divert his thoughts.

It had become a daily routine to bathe our son together, washing him in only the riches Leumian oils and salts. A bath was one of the only ways to calm our son's curiosity enough so that he might sleep.

"I will run the water while you feed him," Edward smiles, kissing me quickly and leaving me with our son.

Feeding had been particularly difficult for me – not so much the way my son had to feed from my breast, but it was his instinctual follow-up to feeding that had been hard for me to get used to.

I lift his light body from where it had been resting in a fluffy pillow and hold him close, his little head fitting under the hollow of my chin. He nuzzles his face into my neck as I slip my arm through the thin strap on my shoulder, effectively freeing my breast to the open air of the room.

I adjust my son in my arms, guiding his puckering mouth to my nipple and sighing in relief as his quick suction releases the pressure that had begun in my chest. It was this pressure that kept his feeding schedule routine – the milk causing my swollen breasts to ache unless the liquid was released.

Tiny, happy sounds emit from my son's chest as his miniature hand paws at the skin on top of my breast.

Edward moves back into the room, observing us as I sit straight, my legs folded under me and our son eagerly feeding. He smiles slightly, pure adoration in his eyes.

I love him.

Moments pass as our son drinks his fill and he pulls away with a soft pop, his mouth open in a yawn that threatens to over take his cherubic face.

With his lips parted so dramatically, the gleam of his tiny fangs greet me and I prepare myself for their sharp sting.

Sleepily, my son's eyes open and lock on the two identical marks just above my nipple. Without seeming to have much thought about it, his fangs latch perfectly onto their marks and he slowly sips the blood from my breast.

I wince at the initial action and force myself to relax.

The first time he had done this, I had cried, in a full panic from confusion. Edward had calmed me, explaining that Leumian babies still needed their mother's blood until they were nearly a year old.

It made sense – he had been sharing my blood for his entire life and he would surely still need it until his strong little body grew large enough to fend for itself.

The fangs retract quickly and his little tongue laps at the wounds, sealing them until his next feeding.

I carefully move his body until his head is over my left shoulder and my right hand is patting his back, burping him between his tired yawns.

Edward moves closer and takes his son, nuzzling his face into darker hair and placing our child back on his pillow.

I move to cover my exposed chest but Edward is quick, his hand gently stopping my wrist and his eyes, dark and all pupil, stopping my breathing. Long fingers move down my skin and to my exposed nipple, which puckers instantly.

I bite my lip, my chest heaving.

I want him.

A slight twinge of soreness in my core reminds me that I can't have him.

I open my mouth but Edward silences me, his fingers twirling around my nipple, hardening the nub until it is nearly painful.

His lips are on my skin, sucking at my collarbone and downward, meeting my new cleavage with earnest attention. His mouth moves to suck lightly on my nipple, getting the barest amount of milk and humming at the taste. I quiver at the vibration, my thighs pressing together.

Edward's large hand presses on the middle of my back, arching my chest towards him as he slips the other strap of my dress down my left arm. With a new breast exposed, he latches onto my nipple, nipping at the hard bud until my head falls back, baring my throat.

It seems that is a sign to Edward that he can continue, because he quickly lays me down on the fur rug and bends my legs at the knees. He lets them stay together as he pushes the material of my dress up past my belly button, so that the fabric only covers my ribs.

Strong thumbs press into the hollow of my hips, right above my pelvic bone and my hips twitch upwards, my thighs still pressing tighter and tighter together. His hands flatten on my stomach and move down the curve of my hips and back, towards my bottom and then inside, where my lower lips are partially exposed.

One finger strokes the wet skin.

I gasp. "We can't.

"We're not going to," he assures me, swiping at my core again.

Slowly, he edges his fingers between my thighs and forces them apart, pressing my knees flat on the fur rug beneath my body, opening me up to his gaze.

This is the first time he has seen me since the birth.

I am self-conscious of my appearance, knowing there is no way it looks the same as before.

But Edward seems not to care and he inhales sharply, bending slightly to inhale again. His tongue pokes out between his lips and exposed fangs and I throb.

His hands caress the skin of my inner thighs, moving closer to my core until he is pulling my lips apart, exposing me further to his intense gaze.

And then, after a short pause, his mouth is on me.

Licking at the wetness.

Nipping at the lips.

Sucking on the bundle of nerves near the top.

Driving me crazy as I am struggling to keep quiet, pressing my hands to my mouth to smother my moans as Edward's tongue, long and strong, actually enters my body, squirming inside of me.

My entire body jolts, suddenly so much closer to the edge when Edward's thumb presses against my clit, his tongue still buried inside of me. I look down my body and notice that Edward's hips are moving restlessly on the fur and color is blooming high in his cheeks.

Quickly, his hands grab onto my hips and force them to stay still, angling my body so that my tailbone is tilted down, opening my legs more.

Edward tortures me, bringing me to the edge and pulling back, only to bring me closer again and pull back again. My hands move into my hair, pulling on the roots as Edward hums against me.

And then, his fang grazes my clit and I am releasing, actually feeling a gush of liquid seep out of me. I don't have time to be embarrassed about it because Edward groans and eagerly laps up my release.

I feel like jelly when he closes my legs, kissing my pubic bone sweetly. Breathing out in a rush, I run my hands through his hair. "Do you need me to…?"

Edward's face flushes and he presses his cheek into my stomach. "I'm fine," he says, his gaze flickering to the fur rug. And then I remember how his hips had moved against the floor and I understand.

We rest for a moment until the soft snores of our son breaks us from our lusty haze.

Bathing the Little Prince is an experience – he enjoys splashing the water and he coos at the fluffy soap that cleans his body. After my own quick bath, I dress him in a sapphire sheath that is distinctly male with crisp lines and clean cuts.

My own dress is nearly white, a sort of soft gray with a flowing him that reaches my knees, the bodice tight on my chest and the skirt flaring from my hips. The dress leaves my back exposed but my shoulders covered. With my child in my arms, Edward wraps my cape around my shoulders, fastening the front so that our son is trapped between the fur and my chest. The hood is deep enough to cover my head and my son's, where his sleeping face is pressed into my neck.

As he is putting his own heavy cape on – too heavy for a Leumian and probably for my future use if I am chilled in the Northern caps – Edward pulls a face, clearly not wanting to leave our chambers.

"We can stay," he begins, anxiety seeping into his voice.

And though I want to appease him, I remain strong – growing up in a life under a spotlight, the only daughter of the Grand President, I had learned how to push past my own worries and wants and focus on my duty.

So, I shake my head and walk towards the door, my thick, fur-lined knee-high boots clicking lightly with each step. "We must. The sooner we leave, the sooner we will come back."

As soon as the chamber doors slide open, Edward's entire demeanor alters – instead of carrying on with his worry, it morphs into a hyper-vigilant, tense mood. He glares at each servant as we work our way to the palace exit, Edward's looming body alternating from walking in front of me to crowding close behind me.

I can hardly be annoyed at him.

This was how Leumian males acted. It's his nature.

I had grown used to walking everywhere on Leumin, so the sight of a great horse-like animal saddled up, clearly ready to be ridden, startled me. Edward growled at my abrupt stop, sinking into a slight crouch.

"It's fine," I tell him, keeping my voice calm. "What is that?"

"This is a _zu'la_," Esme says, approaching us with a smile, her dress swirling around her ankles in deep plum swaths.

Edward's growl rumbles loudly in his chest, his body inching in front of mine as his mother moves closer.

"Edward! It's your _mother_!"

He continues to growl.

Esme laughs, amused. "Carlisle was just like that."

"I'm so sorry," I tell her, rubbing my son's back when he makes a similar, smaller whining growl in his chest.

Esme waves me off. "There's nothing to be done about it," she smiles. "How is the Little Prince?"

"He's try to copy his father," I sigh, listening to my son's whine turn into more of a coughing-growl.

"Silly little males," Esme teases, peering at the dark head pressing against my neck.

"Are the _zu'las_ supposed to be ridden?"

"Oh yes," Esme says, speaking over Edward's growls. "But only you will be riding. The journey is not as long as you might think, but you are a new mother and we can't have you tired out. The _zu'las_ are very fast."

"Faster than a Leumian?"

"Nothing is faster than a Leumian."

And this proves true. Once Edward deems his mother safe, though he continues to irrationally growl at the rest of his family, Alice and Jasper, I am able to sit on the _zu'la _with Edward's help. I use one arm to support my son and the other to steady myself, though the animal I am seated on travels very smoothly.

And quickly.

Edward has no trouble running beside the _zu'la_, the animal's lead in his hands. I can hardly keep up with the speed that I am traveling, choosing to close my eyes and hold my son instead of staring at the blurring scenery.

Eventually, we stop and I notice how much colder the air that touches my face is. My hand comes up to shield my son's face from the frigid temperature, though he seems to be unaffected by it.

The Royal family are the only witnesses to the baptism, though Alice is very discreetly capturing the event on a small disk-cam so the Leumian people might see it and confirm the birth of the Leumian Prince.

Edward, who had finally stopped growling at everyone, helped me down from the _zu'la_ and lead me over to the edge of the icy water.

We are completely silent as Edward unfastens my cape just enough for our son to be visible, just enough for me to slip both of my arms out to cradle our son as we wade into the freezing water.

I begin to tremble immediately, the cold seeping into my bones.

Edward's eyes soften into a silent question and I nod. I will endure this.

Edward steps behind me, his arms reaching around me and steadying my hands, molding his body around mine so that we are both holding our son.

Finally, he speaks, his voice clear and angled towards the sky – as if speaking to a God or the Heavens. "I, First Prince of Leumin, present my son, my successor and my heir, Second Prince of Leumin, Caelum Ryder Faolan. On his behalf, I pledge loyalty to the crown, to the people and the planet."

And, without hesitation, we dip our son's body into the biting water – his eyes are wide and unblinking, completely serious as if he knows what has just happened. There is a certain shift in the air, a note of authority surrounding him as we lift his tiny, soaking body from the water. He does not sputter or cry out at the cold, he merely accepts the events as is.

Together, Caelum, Edward and I turn to our family.

And stop cold.

Charlie, my father for all purposes necessary, stands in front of the Royal Leumian's, staring at me blankly.

* * *

><p><strong>AN : Small cliffie! I cannot apologize for it, though, because the chapter came ahead of schedule and is broken into 2 parts, kind of. I just thought this was a good place to stop.**

**Choosing the name for the Little Prince was really, really hard and I think Twilight Rocker 12 can attest to that as I sort of hounded her for her opinion and even then, I had a last minuet change. Originally, Masen was going to be in the name but then I came across a review suggesting Caelum….**

**Anyway, the last chapter had a record number of reviews, all of them were helpful and note worthy, and I thank each of you for taking the time to help me out!**

**_sheeiur22_ – I am not a fan of cannon Bella's birth scene lol**

**_MonaRider_ – if you're reading this, I'll totally marry you on Facebook. Find me on my "homepage" from my profile!**

**_Beautiful Blood Red Roses_ – officially the longest review ever and it was awesome! **

**_Handsdowntoo_ – I'm glad he made it too! I didn't think he would!**

**_Cici G_ – shall she say something about Renata? Time will tell….**

**_james3142_ – I dunno….Is Renata working for Charlie! O.o**

**_JessJess76_ – official MagneticEdwards can be purchased at…oh, wait. Darn. Can't buy him! **

**_Marah_ – think we nailed the strong name, right? Lol**

**_Darkheroprophecy666_ – I love that you love my story! It loves you back!**

**_karol-r07_ – I considered each and every one of your names!  
><em>celia azul<em> – if she can control the iron in someones blood, she better learn in the next thirty seconds! Lol I actually hadn't ever thought about it.**

**_Sprite007_ – Carlisle loved the hug you gave him!  
><em>CrimsonRed-ink1792<em> – oh, dear! Pay attention in class! Lol**

**_stupidlamb2010_ – Anthony was a strong contender in the naming process, I promise!**

**_Telaviv_ – as always, you're one step ahead of me. But will it turn into a tragedy?**

**_MissMartha_ – the Celt tradition sounds interesting…I'll have to look into it for the next baby I have to name lol**

**_Foxytaco_ – Nolan made it pretty far in the chart I had going, but it was beat out in the 3rd to last round lol**

**_Liam FTW_ – Liam, like Nolan, made it pretty far!**

**_PanteraFenix Negra_ – Keep reading! It gets better!**

**_nay-nay1990 –_ I was so close to naming him River, I swear lol**

**_mikey1048_ – Seth was actually really popular. Four other people suggested it lol**

**_ch0c0lat3_ – Henry or William, like the actual Princes of England? Lol **

**_maysnrs_ – Do not, I repeat, _do not_ let him name that baby Clark! Or Peter, for that matter! Isn't there another X-Men character that's a dude? Lol Logan isn't so bad, it's one of my favorite names.**

**_YesMyRealNameIsBella_ – his name has a C in it! Lol Caleb is a great name, but my ex's name is Caleb and he's an ass soooo….eh.**

**_Imabwrighter_ – seriously, it was between Ryder and Ryker when I was annoying TR12 lol **

**_Sshart_ – well….he does have three names so, thanks for that suggestion!**

**Extra Special Shout Outs to the wonders who's suggestions made it all the way to the end!**

**_RPattSinner_ – is natural childbirth that bad? D: I think you were one of the first to mention Ryder **

**_Sephoria2_ – you suggested Caelum and it pulled through. Orion (which I love) was a close second! (for anyone who cares, Caelum is actually a constellation! Who knew!)**

**_Rorolovesvamps_ – you suggested Faolan, which I immediately fell in love with. It was a no-brainer choice for me – of course I would choose Faolan!  
><em>Twilight Rocker 12 <em>– thank you for putting up with my crazy ass! Lol**

**And finally, shout-out to the first review of the last chapter, _beans and cornbread_ – Alexander was a great suggestion! Excellent thinking on that as I had considered Alexander once, but went for one of the more odd sounding names.**

**Thank you to everyone I didn't mention! Welcome new readers!**

**There are only two more chapters left to Magnetic! The rest of this chapter should be posted really, really soon.**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot  
><strong>


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight! I can't because I'm probably too lazy for all those book signings!**

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><p><strong>CHAPTER FOURTEEN<strong>

"_This isn't were I meant to lay down."_

_~Christina Perri_

The ferocity of Edward's growls is astonishing. He cannot seem to decide whether to help his family, which are being detained by massive, foreign aliens or if he should stay posed in front of his mate and child. He's lost all of his logic, reverting completely to an instinct driven male – one who will simply kill to protect what he considers his.

The Northern caps are silent, only Edward's growls echoing against the white landscape.

I hadn't noticed until now how chilling the scenery was – huge white glaciers, cool grey mountains capped by a dusting of white snow in the near-distance, the water positively clear and free of life, the ground icy and pure.

I can almost see the snow painted with various shades of red – blood from every species here.

It was just a matter of who would die.

There wasn't a doubt in my mind that a battle would come from this.

It was us or them.

How long had it been since I'd seen Yvette? Months, nearly six months – perhaps even a year on Earth. I didn't know. But she had told me, on my last day, which big changes would happen in my future.

This was one of them.

This was between my father and I.

Resolve hardened in my gut; I would kill him if I had to.

Pricks of power surges through me, raising the hair on my pebbled skin, startling the baby in my arms. Caelum sniffs at my skin as it becomes slightly charged with electricity but he seems to embrace the shift.

"You were not supposed to be here," my father says monotonously.

I raise my chin, defiant, stronger than I had been when I saw him last. "Of course I was. You sent me here."

A ghost of guilt passes over his face before he closes it off. "You belong here."

"I do," I agree, my voice firm. Unforgiving. It was true. I do belong on Leumin. "But you don't. Why are you here?"

If I had been younger, if my Leumian side hadn't been awake, I would have missed it – but Charlie's eyes shift towards the naked trees, the barks a stark contrast to the warm tones of the mountain palace's forest.

I follow his eyes and press my lips together.

Of course.

Several black bags, durable and made of some scaly leather sit under the trees. One bag has fallen over and untied itself.

Several small lormaline stones are seeping out of the bag.

"It was about lormaline," I whisper.

That was his whole reason for sending me here.

Edward roars, falling into a deep crouch. I place my hand on his shoulder, stopping him from charging.

I needed more information.

I shift Caelum, wrapping my cloak tighter around us as the wind howls. "You've been stealing from the mines," I tell my father, confident and assured though inside I am fuming.

How dare he steal from _my_ family, _my_ planet?

"Hardly."

"I see the evidence right there. You can't lie to me anymore."

"They leave it lying around."

That wasn't true. From what I knew, lormaline had to be mined and uncovered from rocks, dirt, mountains, and deep water. It was hard work getting lormaline.

Behind my father, Carlisle begins growling, his arms tight around Esme as she stands tall, strong, in front of Rosalie. I can tell that she is trying to shield Rosalie from the lecherous sight of the foreign alien crowding their space. Emmett is being restrained by another.

My mind inches, craving the control of metal.

There is much around me.

But I had to time it right.

Electricity rose on my skin again, higher in voltage, causing Caelum to coo at the coy sting.

"That is yours?" My father's voice is flat and he is indicating, pointing at the child in my arms.

"_He_ is mine. Yes."

"I thought they might kill you before you could get knocked up with the bastard," Charlie says petulantly, smirking when Edward roars out again in outrage. I tighten my grip on my mate's shoulder.

"You knew about my mother, then."

There is no question.

He knew.

"Three months of pregnancy and then a baby? Of course I knew."

I nod, suspecting as much. "Then you knew about the lormaline, too."

"A remarkable stone," Charlie says, strolling casually around in a pacing circle. If I hadn't known how he could be, cold and calculating but scared deep down inside, I would have thought he was relaxed.

But there was a certain twitch of his fingers, the way they laced together that indicated his anxiety.

"How much do you know about it?"

"Everything," he tells me coolly. "It's a power source, a healing stone, a vitamin, a mineral. They eat it here – it can be crushed and ingested. It conducts heat and electricity. It's a metal. It's everything. One lormaline, less than a gram of lormaline, can power an entire planet for a year or more. Do you have any idea how valuable that is?

"Do you know how powerful I would be if I was in control of lormaline stores? How much money I could make? I would be a King. I would rule the universe. Everything would be at my fingertips."

My jaw is clenched.

"Lormaline is sacred."

"It is power!" my father yells, his hands above his head and his face red. "You stupid girl, it has always been about power!"

Electricity, a higher voltage, dances across my skin and my eyes rove to my surroundings – I can feel the lormaline mines a quarter of a mile away, almost too far, but the percentage of metal is high enough to make an impact. Then there is the abandoned bags of lormaline in the tree line, the metal-based rocks on the shore line.

Would it be enough?

A movement catches my eye – Alice, her hand holding the disk-cam that seems to be running, is pointing directly to my left.

She has to be mad.

Of course, I had felt the heavy metal, the essence blinding, but it was, by far, the heaviest concentration I had ever come across.

There was no way I could move that.

But then, as I shifted my focus away from the massive boulder, another essence was caught in my awareness.

The hulking aliens.

They appeared snake-like, flat noses, long, flat mouths.

With blood as pure as steel.

I had never considered blood to be a weapon.

Now it was taunting me, staring me in the face.

It might kill me, but I could take all five of those aliens and my father and my family, my baby Caelum and my mate might make it out alive.

The timing had to be perfect.

I clear my throat, which had suddenly become parched, and grip Caelum tighter to me, my hand slacking on Edward's shoulder.

"What happened to you?" I ask, my voice carrying across the white expanse between my father and my life. "Why are you like this?"

He pauses – freezes, actually, his glare shooting at me, through me. Edward stops growling and all eyes turn to my father.

"She left me," he says harshly.

And I know who he is talking about.

"She died," I tell him gently, pulling at the lormaline mine, feeling huge hunks of the stone disconnecting and traveling towards me.

It wouldn't be long now.

"No," Charlie disagrees, his eyes crazed, his hands pulling at his short, dark hair. "No, she left me with a child. Left me with you! A useless half-breed!"

"She died," I repeat, stepping up to Edward's side slowly and shifting Caelum in my arms – he whines softly, pulling at my cape. "Not even lormaline could keep her alive on Earth."

Charlie coughs.

He shakes his head.

And pulls out a pristine gun, the modern versions made with lasers instead of bullets – it shakes, unsteady, in his hands.

"You're wrong!"

And in that moment, I can't hold back.

I hand off Caelum to Edward and, with a single sweeping motion of my hand, knock the gun out of my father's grasp.

It skids against the snow covered ground.

I don't stop, my left hand raised above my head as huge chunks of lormaline arc through the air, glinting off the ice, and towards my father.

I crush him without hesitation.

He stains the ground crimson.

High screams echo through the air, shock and panic.

The foreign aliens are attacking or getting ready to.

I feel Edward somewhere behind me.

Quickly, I latch onto one of the aliens – the essence of his blood is intoxicatingly rich.

Imagine him blowing apart, his blood expanding and hardening into cold metal in his veins.

His skin cracks.

Blood trickles down my nose.

Another alien gone, frozen in his movement.

And then another.

And one charging towards me, crumbling before my eyes.

Lormaline flying through the air, attacking the last one as he becomes a statue, his blood turned to steel inside his body.

And I am on my knees.

Panting.

Dizzy.

Red dots are seeping into the snow under my knees.

Drip.

Drip.

"Bella?"

Drip.

I'm tired.

The cry of a baby is in the back ground.

My eyes are closing.

Drip.

"_Bella_!"

It is over.

_Edward_

My mate is being transported back to the palace.

She is breathing.

She is no longer bleeding.

Caelum refuses to sleep. He cries loudly for his mother.

I cry, too, but I keep quiet.

She is reckless.

Always near leaving me.

Always almost disappearing from her life.

But she is smart.

She knew exactly what she was doing.

My mother tends to the dried human blood on my mate's lips, wiping the flaking away with a damp cloth.

She is worried about Bella, too.

I am still reeling from what has happened.

My mate's father appears similar to my mate – the eyes, the hair, the human determination.

He was crazed.

I am anxious about my mate's reaction.

She killed her own father.

That would be something deeply troubling to deal with.

But she is strong.

And I would help her.

We arrive at the palace late in the day, Emmett and Jasper lugging one of the aliens that attacked us.

Who are they?

Why did they help my mate's father?

I had been stunned when I saw what my mate could do with their bodies, though I did not know how she did it. They seemed to become void of life the second she looked at them.

My mate is set up in our chambers, several Healers anxiously looking over her beautiful sleeping body.

They are quick in their assessment and confident.

They call her Princess.

I cannot help but smile at that, though I am crouched loyally at her bedside, our son tucked against my chest.

I will not leave until she wakes.

Mother and Father come to check on her.

They stay.

Emmett and Rosalie also come, seating themselves on the floor around the bed.

So do Alice and Jasper.

Eventually, the Elders come.

And they confirm what I had suspected while my mate was taking control of the situation.

She is the prophecy.

She is the reason the scrolls were made.

They thought it might have been my son – and they might have been right.

But timing had made it so my mate was the savior.

The Elders also come bearing news about the aliens.

They are called the Naz'feya.

The Gathering has already contacted the Fazi planet in the 39th sector.

These Naz'feya were rebels.

There will not be war for their death.

The Elders also inform us of an informant – a servant named Renata. Jasper confirms that he thought her behavior was odd.

She was executed without trial.

I did not protest it.

When the Elders leave, my mate sleeps on, her face frozen and calm.

I would fear for her death, but I can feel her life in my bones.

Caelum sleeps.

I allow Mother to hold him.

She smiles.

A certain Healer comes next, a puzzled expression on his face. He says that the blood of the Naz'feya had turned into metal.

He says my mate turned their blood into solid metal.

I think it is extraordinary.

But I would not want her to do it again. It made her too weak.

We continue to wait after he leaves.

And then, Caelum cries out, wailing as loud as he can.

Mother hands him back to me.

I rock him and he continues on.

And he wakes my mate.

She is groggy and confused, her eyes bleary as she takes in the sight of us surrounding her bed.

And she automatically reaches for Caelum, who calms immediately after being accepted into his mothers arms.

I bury my face in her hair.

I have not lost her.

We will remain together.

We will have more children.

We will live happily.

I press my lips against my mate and my child.

Nothing is looming over our heads.

It is over.

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><p><strong>AN: Only the Epilogue left. I might miss these characters. And, who knows, maybe there might be a short sequel for them in the far, distant future?**

**_brittany86_ – only 15 chapters because, simply, their story is done. Sure, I could make them run around with drama for 30-something chapters, but that's not my style.**

**_PanteraFenix Negra_ – Leumians Anon? Maybe it does exist! Of course I read it all – I read every single review I get!**

**_DoubleFate_ – I wasn't sure about the sex-after-birth-thing so I just let them stay at 3rd base lol**

**_Maysnrs_ – Oh man, some kick ass powers those were!**

**_james3142_ – Charlie sucks at planning lol Right place, wrong timing. Scooby Doo?**

**_MonaRider_ – stab away! Please! Get evil Charlie off my back!**

**_stupidlamb2010_ – 2 updates, 1 day!**

**_Twilight Rocker 12_ – if you put 2 crazies together, does that mean you get 4? lol**

**_YesMyRealNameIsBella_ – I will be writing another story, yes lol**

**_CrimsonRed-ink1792_ – no, no, nooooo. Class first, reading second lol**

**Shoutout to the first review of the last chapter – _handsdowntoo_, Charlie is out of his something, alright lol**

**And another shout out to _celia azul_ who gave me the blood idea.**

**Be brutally honest. I can take it!**

**~cupcakeriot**


	15. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. I own this story line!**

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><p><strong>EPILOGUE<strong>

"You're not concentrating."

Not too long ago, those words were said to me. I often wondered about Yvette – if she was still alive, still helping kids sort through their psychic abilities, if she missed me. There were certainly days where I missed her, but I had found comfort in my life, far more comfort than I had ever expected when I had boarded that space shuttle.

I'd found happiness.

And love.

Joy.

Caelum, my son, looks at me over his shoulder, his brows furrowing and his lips pressing together in frustration. He is such a perfect mix between Edward and I – his body maturing and growing taller and stronger than any human. At some point after his tenth birthday, his Leumian side had almost completely taken over and now, he was only barely an inch shorter than his father.

Now Caelum is fifteen.

He reminds me of myself – always pushing his abilities.

And what a set of abilities he had. His control over lormaline had surpassed my own, almost as if the stone was magnetized to his very being.

I had worried, of course. My son, my first born, had such power resting on his shoulders, such responsibility, such a future waiting for him.

It had been a tough few years after I eliminated my own father and the Naz'feya rebels – the people of Leumin were equally split between worshiping me as a savior and fearing me as a returning tyrant of the Skye clan.

From day to day, it was a question of whether I would be revered or attacked. Edward's vigil protective instincts never calmed during those years and at times, it was frustrating. I was an independent person and I felt stifled by his over-reactions.

There had been fights.

But the make-ups were always perfect.

Eventually, it had all been solved by my formal declaration to Carlisle's rule. It appeased the Leumian people and there had not been trouble since, not even when Carlisle had stepped down and handed off the crown to Edward and I.

"I'm doing exactly what you said to do," Caelum mutters, looking away from me.

I stand, one hand resting on my stomach and the other supporting my back. I walked in an arc behind my son, observing the large compounded metal and lormaline that I used for training. It was the highest concentration of metal I could come up with, some of the metals being imported from other planets of the Eight.

After my father's death, there had been a very brief tension between Leumin and the Seven. Luckily, Alice had recorded the entire fight, we had more than enough evidence from my childhood, and uncovered evidence from my father's office to assure the Seven his death was purely in self-defense. And after that issue was resolved, the Fazi planet of the Naz'feya people had requested to join the Seven, effectively making Fazi the Eight planet in the Republic.

Still, there were repercussions from my actions – most notably, Leumin's secrets were made public and lormaline's abilities was revealed to the Eight.

But, unlike how we had feared, the Eight weren't interested in lormaline. They had no need for it – lormaline remained a purely Leumian resource.

There were days, though, that I grieved for my father. Days where I felt guilt for killing him.

Those days were few and far between, after fifteen years.

To my surprise, my aging matched Edward's and instead of looking all of my thirty-two years, I appeared barely older than my son.

I sigh, rubbing my swollen stomach. "Your left hand is raised," I point out, tapping his fingers with my own.

Caelum's skin had darkened to match his father's, though he still retained my easy facial flush. His slight human qualities were precious to me.

Caelum looks down and snaps his hand down to his thigh, cursing softly.

"Try again. You don't need to use your hands."

"It's heavy."

I raise my brow. "You've levitated heavier."

"I used my hands then!"

I laugh and step back. "And now, you're not using them. Try again."

Caelum fisted his hands in the material of his pants and glared at the compounded metal – it raised half an inch. I could tell he was holding his breath as his face begin to turn red.

"Breathe, Caelum!"

The compounded metal drops to the ground and Caelum leans over, his chest heaving.

As much as a master he thought he was, Caelum still struggled with the basics. He was more impressed with flashy tricks and it showed through our one-on-one training. He would learn, though.

I had been training Caelum since he was old enough to talk back. It was hard, sometimes, to separate the urge to push him and the urge to tell him enough was enough. Sometimes, he pushed too hard, straining himself.

"_Mo'la_, I can't do this."

"That doesn't sound like something a Prince would say."

My gaze snaps from my son to my mate.

Edward looked nearly the same as he had the first day I saw him, leaning against one of the curved walls of the training room. Our third child, now a toddler, was hugging his neck, her little arms wrapped in a tight choke-hold.

Edward flashes his fangs when he sees me and shakes our daughter – our only daughter, so far.

River shares more of my features than either of our sons, her eyes an exact replica of my own. She squeals when Edward lets her down and runs towards Caelum, jumping at him. There was hardly a time when River wasn't being held.

Edward steps up behind me as I watch our children interact – Caelum showing off and River clapping with glee. River wasn't as strong in lormaline controlling as our other children, but I didn't think she needed to be.

She did have two over-protective brothers to look after her.

"How is my beautiful mate today?" Edward breathes into my ear.

I smile, pressing my cheek against his as his hands come to caress my stomach. This pregnancy had been especially hard on me, my stomach swelling much faster than typical pregnancies.

Esme was convinced it was twins.

So was Orion, our second son. He had turned out to be quite the scientist, more involved with physics and chemistry than the Healers. I had a feeling that my twelve year old would be starting an apprenticeship soon – he had many ideas about how Leumian healthcare can evolve and he liked to voice those ideas.

"Tired," I whisper, stifling a yawn.

"Mommy!"

I open my eyes at River's excited shout, comforted by Edward's lean body wrapped around mine.

"How's the babies?" River demands, touching both of her hands to my stomach. As if in response, two kicks thump against my swollen belly. River giggles in delight.

"I think they want to meet you," I tell my daughter, smiling at the sweet sight of her head leaning against my stomach. She had taken to talking to the baby – or babies – daily, retelling her day in detail.

Caelum laughs, more of a bark. At fifteen, I had expected him to adopt a sarcastic demeanor, but he's a good kid. "Can I go see Elistair?"

Elistair was Alice and Jasper's first born, only a few months younger than Caelum. Recently, the teenagers had been growing closer than I liked but Edward had assured me that Caelum knew the rules – he would not even attempt to mate Elistair until she was seventeen.

For now, they were friends. Very close friends but platonic nonetheless.

I nod, waving him off.

Caelum grins, kisses my cheek and runs off, slightly slower than a Leumian, but much faster than any human could ever hope to be.

River, bored with my pregnancy, dances off, most likely in pursuit of Esme, who enjoyed the perks of a granddaughter a little too much. My three year old was very, very spoiled.

My lower back cramps in a very familiar way and I wince, my nails digging into Edward's arms.

"Bella?"

"It's time," I gasp out.

Edward knew what that meant and immediately scooped me up, dashing out of the training room and towards our chambers.

As he sets me down on the bed, I remember the curious request my second son had made when the pregnancy was announced. "Get Orion in here!"

"What? Bella, he's not a qualified-"

"He wanted to learn about it! Go get him! And call Esme!"

Edward rushes to the intercom and buzzes his mother; before he can even exit the room, she is frantically entering the room. Esme had been there for every single birth and I trusted her unconditionally.

"Where's River?" I pant out, shocked at how painful this labor was in comparison to the others.

"With Carlisle. How are you, dear?"

"Been better. Oh," I gasp. "So fast."

Esme moves and checks between my legs. "You need to start pushing!"

And I do.

Orion, handsome exactly like his father, observes the entire process with a sharp eye.

And his prediction was right.

Twins.

Two perfect boys.

I name one Mazen, the other after Carlisle.

Exhausted, I lean back on the bed, surrounded by my family – my children, my mate, Rosalie and Emmett and my surrogate parents.

Edward kisses my tired eyes, leaning over my body and whispering sweetly to me. "_Ta'jema._"

"I love you," I murmur.

"Forever." He responds, glancing at the faces of our children and our family and then back at me, his vibrant eyes melting into my soul. "We have forever."

"Eternity."

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><p><strong>AN: And that's a wrap. For now, this is all I have to give to these characters – and that's fine. I think the story can stand alone. If, in the future, I decide to pick up a sequel, I think I'll be able to. There might be future-takes to this, too.**

**Thank you to everyone who has put me on Author Alerts and Favorite lists and reviewed and became my friend on Facebook. You all mean so much to me, I can hardly describe it.**

**As for future stories, I'm full of plots. Seriously. It keeps me up at night. So there will be another story on the way. Next week is Spring Break for me, which means that I'm just going to have oodles of time to write – so, maybe, you might be getting another something from me very, very soon.**

**It was awesome being brutally honest with you guys. I read and took every review to heart and I love every single one of you!**

**Side note, I am on Facebook (see fanfiction Profile, see Homepage link) so if anyone ever wants to chat or vote on polls, add me**

**~cupcakeriot**


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